The U.S. State Department has issued guidelines instructing its diplomats to cease the approval of most visa applications for Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza, as well as Palestinian passport holders residing abroad.
According to internal communications reported by CNN, a memo dated August 18 and signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio directed all embassies and consulates to deny non-immigrant visa applications for all eligible holders of Palestinian Authority passports applying for visas. The embassies were ordered to implement this policy “immediately.”
Non-immigrant visas cover a wide range of categories including student, teacher, tourist, business, and medical treatment visas.
This blanket refusal policy, initially reported by The New York Times, is part of a series of measures taken by the Trump administration aimed at restricting Palestinian access to the United States.
On August 16, the State Department announced a suspension of “all visitor visas for individuals from Gaza” pending further review.
On Friday, the agency declared the cancellation and denial of visas for members of the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority, including President Mahmoud Abbas, ahead of the United Nations General Assembly.
These restrictions come at a time when several countries are preparing to recognize a Palestinian state amidst the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
In the diplomatic cable, the State Department stated it is implementing this measure “to ensure that these applications are subjected to the necessary vetting and screening protocols to verify the applicant’s identity and eligibility for a visa under U.S. law.”
A spokesperson for the State Department remarked: “The Trump administration is taking concrete steps in compliance with U.S. law and national security regarding the announced visa restrictions and cancellations for holders of Palestinian Authority passports.”
They added: “Every visa decision is a national security decision, and the State Department examines and adjudicates visa decisions for Palestinian Authority passport holders accordingly.”
According to the announcement, this refusal policy does not apply to Palestinians applying for immigrant visas or those seeking non-immigrant visas using different passports.
The announcement specified: “This guidance includes applicants seeking diplomatic or official visas and individuals traveling for diplomatic and official purposes applying for visas with Palestinian Authority passports.”