Iran Travel Suspension: 7 Things to Know Now

Update: Executive Order suspending travel is no longer in effect, see bottom of page for additional information.

1. A Presidential Executive Order temporarily prohibiting individuals from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen from entering the U.S. is expected to be signed in the coming days.
2. The final version of the Order has not been released and it is not in effect as of the morning of Friday, January 27^th.
3. An early draft of the Order does not clarify what being “from” one of the designated countries means. The Order, if signed, may provide clarity as to whether it includes passport holders, citizens, nationals, dual nationals, or all of the above.
4. The draft of the Order suspends temporary nonimmigrants from entry to the US (this includes B-1/B-2 visitors, F-1 students, H-1B and E-2 workers, etc.) as well as those who have Immigrant Visas based on employment, family or fiancé(e) petition sponsorship.
5. The proposed suspension is temporary—lasting 30 days from the date of the order. After 30 days, travel is not automatically reinstated. Instead, the countries would need to provide immigration/security information to the Department of Homeland Security within 60 days, and if so, the travel restriction could be lifted.
6. The Order, if signed, does not affect individuals already inside the United States (including people residing here as lawful permanent residents, citizens, or in a nonimmigrant status)
7. Individuals from Iran or any of the other designated countries currently in the U.S. should not travel outside of the U.S. during the travel restriction and in anticipation of its implementation.

Update: on the afternoon of January 27, 2017 President Trump signed the Executive Order, and it is now in effect. Among other provisions, Section 3 of the travel ban-related Executive Order, “suspends” the immigrant and nonimmigrant entry of nationals from certain designated countries for 90 days from the date of the order. The new restriction affects individuals from Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Somalia, Iraq, Iran and Libya. The order also indefinitely pauses the admission into the U.S. of Syrian refugees.

Update: on February 9th, 2017 the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled to keep in place the temporary restraining order barring implementation of President Trump’s Executive Order banning the above-referenced immigrants, nonimmigrants and refugees from entering the United States. In other words, CBP will continue inspecting and admitting entrants to the U.S. similarly to before the Executive Order.