Tuvalu, a tiny Pacific nation that scientists predict will be submerged by rising seas, said it is seeking written assurance from the US that its citizens will not be barred from entry after apparently being mistakenly included in a list of 36 countries facing visa bans.
An internal diplomatic cable signed by US secretary of state Marco Rubio showed the US, which has barred entry for citizens from 12 countries, was considering expanding travel restrictions to the 36 countries, including three Pacific Island states, Reuters and other media reported last month.
Nations on the list would have 60 days to take corrective action, the cable showed.
The news had caused significant concern in Tuvalu, whose population of 11,000 is at risk from rising sea levels, and where a third of residents have applied to an Australian ballot for a landmark climate migration visa.
Tuvalu's ambassador to the UN, Tapugao Falefou, said he had been told by a US official that Tuvalu's inclusion on the list was “an administrative and systemic error on the part of the US department of state”.
On Tuesday, Tuvalu's government said it had not received formal notification that it was on the list, and had also been assured by the US embassy in Fiji it was “an error within the system”.
“The embassy has provided verbal assurances that there are no restrictions on Tuvaluan nationals entering the US, and the matter is being reviewed with authorities in Washington,” the statement from Tuvalu's ministry of foreign affairs, labour and trade said.
It added Tuvalu was seeking a “formal written confirmation to that effect and continues to engage the US government to ensure Tuvaluans are not unfairly affected”.
The US embassy in Fiji, citing US President Donald Trump's executive order suspending entry for 12 countries, said in a statement to Reuters on Wednesday the US was protecting national security through the its visa process.
“The department of state and other US government agencies assess other countries' security capabilities; information sharing and identity management practices, exploitation of the US visa system, such as overstay rates and failure to facilitate the repatriation of their removable nationals,” a spokesperson for the US embassy in Suva said.
The secretary of state would consult with the attorney general, homeland security and the director of national intelligence to assess whether suspensions should be “continued, terminated, modified or supplemented”, the statement added.
A US official familiar with visa policy who is not authorised to speak publicly told Reuters “no decisions have been made, and any speculation is premature”.
“Tuvalu's public statement mischaracterises and omits some of the valid concerns the US has with travellers from that country,” the official said.
The other Pacific Islands listed in the cable were Vanuatu and Tonga.
Tonga's government had received an official US warning and was working on a response, Tonga media reported.
Vanuatu's government did not respond to a request for comment.
Reuters
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.