**UPDATE** US embassy contradicts British government claim that travel ban does not apply to UK citizens

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**UPDATE** US embassy contradicts British government claim that travel ban does not apply to UK citizens | Secret Flying

**UPDATE**
The “US Embassy & Consulates in the United Kingdom” website has removed the urgent notice stating that dual-citizens are not exempt from the ban.

 

On Monday afternoon, UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson told the British parliament he had secured a special deal directly with the Trump administration for all British passport-holders, regardless if they also hold another passport from one of the seven banned countries, and that the US Consulate in the UK published incorrect information on their website.

 

It would seem that because the US Embassy & Consulate website has now removed the statement from the website, Mr Johnson’s claim is correct.

The British government and the US embassy in the UK are giving contradicting statements as to who is affected by Trump’s ‘Muslim ban’.

 

On Sunday, UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson contacted US officials for clarification on Trump’s 90-day travel ban on anyone from the seven banned countries – Syria, Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen. According to the British government, British passport holders who have roots or even dual-citizenship to one of these countries is permitted to travel to the US.

 

The UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office released a statement on Sunday evening which read:

 

The Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has today held conversations with the US government and as a result we can clarify that:

  • the Presidential executive order only applies to individuals travelling from one of the 7 named countries
  • if you are travelling to the US from anywhere other than one of those countries (for instance, the UK) the executive order does not apply to you and you will experience no extra checks regardless of your nationality or your place of birth
  • if you are a UK national who happens to be travelling from one of those countries to the US, then the order does not apply to you – even if you were born in one of those countries
  • if you are a dual citizen of one of those countries travelling to the US from OUTSIDE those countries then the order does not apply to you

The only dual nationals who might have extra checks are those coming from one of the 7 countries themselves – for example a UK-Libya dual national coming from Libya to the US.

The US has reaffirmed its strong commitment to the expeditious processing of all travellers from the United Kingdom.

 

However, on Monday morning, the “US Embassy & Consulates in the United Kingdom” website issued an urgent notice stating the ban applies to nationals, or dual nationals, of one of seven banned countries.

The statement read:

 

Urgent Notice: Per U.S. Presidential Executive Order signed on January 27, 2017, visa issuance to aliens from the countries of Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen has been suspended effective immediately until further notification.

If you are a national, or dual national, of one of these countries, please do not schedule a visa appointment or pay any visa fees at this time.

If you already have an appointment scheduled, please DO NOT ATTEND your appointment as we will not be able to proceed with your visa interview. Please note that certain travel for official governmental purposes, related to official business at or on behalf of designated international organizations, on behalf of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or by certain officials is not subject to this suspension.

 

A spokesman for the Prime Minister told journalists on Monday morning that he had not seen the notice and so therefore could not comment on it. The British government remain “confident” the criteria stated by the Foreign Secretary would stand.

 

This is very worrying news for British travellers who risk being detained upon arrival in the US, despite the British government assuring they will not. Many British travellers are unsure whether to board their US-bound flight or cancel their trip altogether.

 

The news comes as a petition to stop the US President’s state visit to the UK has gathered more than a million signatures. State visits are a grand occasion requiring an invitation from the Queen. However, Downing Street confirmed that British Prime Minister Theresa May would not be withdrawing her invitation to Mr Trump because it remained “substantially in the national interest”. Buckingham Palace has declined to comment.