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Pres. Biden Ends Trump-era Discriminatory Travel Bans – (01/21/21)

In one of his first official acts, President Joseph R. Biden Jr. has signed an Executive Order repealing proclamations issued by President Trump as far back as 2017 that banned citizens from traveling to the U.S. from primarily Muslim and African countries. President Biden’s order revokes the following: Executive Order 13780 of March 6, 2017; Proclamation 9645 of September 24, 2017; Proclamation 9723 of April 10, 2018; and Proclamation 9983 of January 31, 2020.

The prior orders have made it incredibly difficult for nationals of these countries to travel to and enter the U.S., and while it has been possible to engage artists on a limited basis, the process was very difficult and frequently required legal assistance to obtain the necessary waivers. With the signing of this new order, President Biden is reopening borders and allowing for more cultural mobility. Petitioners wishing to engage artists from any of the named countries that had been subject to the bans should be able to proceed with the guest artist visa process as they would for any other citizen, keeping in mind current COVID-19 travel restrictions. President Biden’s Order directs embassies and consulates to resume visa processing and directs the Secretary of State to submit a proposal to ensure that individuals whose immigrant visa applications were denied on the basis of the suspension and restriction on entry imposed by Proclamation 9645 or 9983 may have their applications reconsidered, as well as a plan to ensure that visa applicants are not prejudiced as a result of a previous visa denial due to Proclamation 9645 or 9983.

This page will be updated if information changes or more details become available. 

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