Individuals who have visited
Libya, Somalia and/or Yemen since March 1, 2011, cannot travel to the United
States under the Visa Waiver Program, the Department of Homeland Security said
on Thursday.
Those impacted by the restriction
must apply for a visa at an embassy or
consulate in order to travel to the U.S., unless they receiver a waiver granted on a
case-by-case basis. At this time, the restriction does not apply to individuals
who hold dual citizenship.
Thursday's announcement is
an expansion of the Visa Waiver Program Improvement and Terrorist Travel
Prevention Act of 2015, which went into effect last month. The new law forbids anyone
that has been in Iran, Iraq, Sudan or Syria since March 1, 2011, from entry to
the United States under the Visa Waiver Program. The restriction also applies
to any nationals of VWP countries who are also nationals of Iran, Iraq, Sudan
or Syria.