CIOGC have learned that Donald Trump will sign the executive order to ban refugees today, January 27, 2017. Please take note of the urgent travel alert below provided to us by legal counsel.
URGENT Travel Alert: Foreign nationals subject to the ban to entry to the US (described below) who are currently in the US should not leave the US, as they may (will) be denied re-entry for an indefinite period of time until the ban is lifted.
Summary: Donald Trump’s executive order (not yet signed, but expected to be executed soon) will deny entry to the US for all nonimmigrant visa holders (H-1B, O-1, L-1, tourists, students, etc), immigrant visa holders, and U.S. permanent residents (green card holders) from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for a period of at least 30 days (with no stated end date). The ban could be expanded to include additional countries. Visa processing and visa issuance will also be affected (i.e. no visas issued to nationals from these countries).
This also applies to dual nationals (i.e. if you are a citizen of the UK and of Iran, and you are a green card holder in the US, you will not be permitted to enter the US for at least the next 30 days, and may not be issued a visa).
If you are outside the US right now, you may wish to consider making travel arrangements to return immediately before Trump signs the EO, especially because this could affect your ability to maintain permanent residency if you cannot enter the US for a period greater than 6 months (i.e. you could lose your green card). Each case should be discussed individually if this is a concern to you.
It is unclear whether those who are not citizens of these countries (i.e. UK citizens who have relatives and other ties to Iran), but who have strong ties to these countries will be permitted to enter.
Disclaimer: This information is to be used for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. You should contact your attorney to obtain advice with respect to any particular issue or problem. The opinions expressed in this advisory are the opinions of the individual author and may not reflect the opinions of the firm or any individual attorney.