The February 9, 2017 decision by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals means that the temporary restraining order (TRO) described below will remain in place. However, an appeal is still possible, and lawsuits related to Executive Order 13769 are still in progress, so this information could change quickly. For that reason, travel outside the U.S. remains risky and we continue to advise non-immigrant students, scholars, and employees from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen to speak with the International Center prior to making travel arrangements.
Background: On February 3, 2017, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington in Seattle granted a temporary restraining order (TRO) that temporarily prohibits the Federal government from enforcing certain provisions of Executive Order 13769, including those related to visas and travel for nationals of Syria, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. As a result, on February 4, 2017, the Department of State confirmed that U.S. embassies and consulates resumed scheduling visa appointments for nationals from these countries, and also confirmed that visas that were “provisionally revoked” under the Executive Order are now valid for travel to the United States, if the holder is otherwise eligible. The Department of Homeland Security also confirmed on February 4, 2017, that they suspended their implementation of this provision of the Executive Order and permitted people from affected countries to travel to the United States once again. They also resumed standard procedures for admitting travelers from these countries to the U.S.