Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Immigration And Visas topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
State Department: visas revoked routinely; South Sudan passport holders face visa restrictions pending cooperation
Summary
A State Department spokesperson said visas are revoked daily for security reasons and confirmed the department has revoked and restricted visas for some South Sudan passport holders after the South Sudanese government initially failed to accept a returnee; the measures will be reviewed if cooperation resumes.
The State Department said it revokes visas routinely to protect U.S. borders and communities, and confirmed targeted measures restricting visas for South Sudanese passport holders after the government initially failed to accept a returnee.
When asked about reports of mass student-visa cancellations, the spokesperson declined to discuss individual visa cases or provide statistics, citing privacy and the fluid nature of visa decisions. “The department revokes visas every day in order to secure our borders and to keep our communities safe,” the spokesperson said.
On South Sudan, the spokesperson said the country had failed to permit the return of an individual it had confirmed as a citizen. The State Department said it revoked visas held by some South Sudanese passport holders and restricted further issuances to prevent entry until South Sudan cooperates. The spokesperson noted that South Sudan committed on April 8 to accept the individual and that the department will review restrictions if full cooperation is restored.
The department declined to provide a comprehensive list of affected students or to disclose aggregate revocation totals, and reiterated that specific visa rationales are not discussed publicly for privacy and security reasons.
