Visa applicants from six Muslim-majority countries must have a close US family relationship or formal ties to a US entity to be admitted to the United States under guidance distributed by the US State Department on Wednesday.
The guidance gave several examples of what might constitute a bona fide relationship with a U.S. entity, and said broad categories would be exempt from the travel ban, such as those eligible for student visas, "as their bona fide relationship to a person or entity is inherent in the visa classification."
The six nations whose citizens are covered by the executive order are Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.
According to the new guidelines sent to US embassies and consulates on Wednesday, applicants from the six countries must prove a relationship with a parent, spouse, child, adult son or daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law or sibling in the USA.
Grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, fiancees or other extended family members are not considered to be close relationships.
The new measures are expected to be implemented today.
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