Applying for a US visa from UAE? Citizens of certain countries are ineligible

Dubai: The United States (US) Embassy in the UAE has issued a notice regarding new restrictions on US visa applications for citizens of specific countries. Effective Monday, June 9, at 12:01 am Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (8.01 am UAE time), a Presidential Proclamation has come into effect, suspending or limiting entry and visa issuance to nationals of 19 countries.

This development is part of a broader US effort to ‘enhance national security and public safety by implementing rigorous screening procedures,' according to an official statement from the Department of State.

For individuals in the UAE, this means that even if you apply for a visa and attend a scheduled interview, you may be ineligible for visa issuance or admission to the United States if you are a national of one of the affected countries.

This Presidential Proclamation applies specifically to foreign nationals outside the United States who did not hold a valid visa on the effective date of June 9.

Crucially, any valid visas issued before this date have not been, and will not be, revoked under this new proclamation.

President Donald Trump’s new ban on travel to the US by citizens of a dozen countries went into effect at 8.01 am on Monday. This is more than eight years after Trump’s first travel ban sparked chaos, confusion and months of legal battles.

The United States is fully suspending visa issuance for all nonimmigrant and immigrant visa categories for nationals of the following 12 countries:

For nationals of these seven countries, visa issuance is partially suspended for nonimmigrant B-1/B-2 visitor visas (for business and tourism), and F, M, and J student and exchange visitor visas, as well as all immigrant visas:

It is important to note that there are limited exceptions to these suspensions, including:

Experts in the travel sector have warned that such closed door policies could have a catastrophic impact on the country's tourism potential. United States alone is among 184 global economies that could see a decline in international travel spending this year, according to a recent report from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).

The US economy is slated to lose a whopping $12.5 billion in international travel spend this year. The WTTC – a global body representing the travel and tourism private sector – said in its Economic Impact Research that international visitor spending to the US is projected to fall to just under $169 billion this year, down from $181 billion in 2024.

This significant shortfall represents a 22.5 per cent decline compared to the previous peak. 

The loss won't be felt by travel and tourism alone, said WTTC, explaining that this represents a direct blow to the US economy, impacting communities, jobs, and businesses from coast to coast.