The Trump administration has ordered suspension of the issuance of visas to certain citizens of Laos after the country refused to take back its persons deported from the United States.
The US Department of Homeland Security made the announcement on Tuesday afternoon, saying it had ordered the State Department to sanction visas for Laos and Myanmar because the two countries “have denied or unreasonably delayed accepting their nationals ordered removed.”
US officials claim they had made diplomatic communications at the highest level of government in Laos before resorting to the heavy penalties.
US consular officials in Vientiane were ordered to impose visa restrictions on certain applicants.
A statement at the Department of Homeland Security website reads, “as of July 9, 2018, the US Embassy in Vientiane, Laos, has discontinued the issuance of all B1, B2, and B1/B2 nonimmigrant visas for current officials at the Director General level and above from the Lao Ministry of Public Security (MPS) as well as their immediate families; and all A3 and G5 nonimmigrant visas to individuals employed by Lao government officials, with limited exceptions.”
According to US law, countries that agree to accept back citizens must issue travel documents for deportees before the US can deport them. In the case of Laos, the government allegedly refused or delayed the supply of these documents.
As of July, nine countries including Laos are being considered uncooperative. Sanctions still apply to Cambodia and Myanmar as well.
Source: DHS, Washing Examiner
It would have been germane to the arteries know why the people were being deported from the USA.
Is it still ok to run for my fiancé and step daughter through k1&k2
My mom is from Laos and she doesn’t wanna leave us so why do they want us to go to Laos includes my mom just her
I heard many Lao’s citizens come here said, they paid under table for US consular in Vietiane to issue the US visa for them to come to US. The Home Land Security or State Department must pay attention for this matter.
I need to ask a question.
I have a plan to continue college in the us and now I’m running my cv.
Do I have a problem with student visa ?
Why can’t they make them citizens for the ones that been here over 25+ years?
Is good news for the people that stuck in the U.S. The Laos government did not sign an agreement with the U.S government yet.
Hi Shelby, please read the info.
People…..did you read the article? The halt in issuing visas pertains mostly to government officials, their families and employees. It does not pertain to immigrants here legally.
The U.S. can deport these individuals a much easier way then that.
All the U.S. needed to do is approve individual with passport to travel and Visa to travel out of the USA. I am very sure that most detainees or ins status immigrants will love to get out of the USA on their own accord.