The Bhutanese Leading the way.
After working very hard to stay off any travel ban list and cooperating with United States (US) authorities, Bhutan was congratulating itself when the USA, earlier this month, announced a list of countries facing full and partial travel ban that did not include Bhutan.
Earlier this month, the countries with a travel ban were Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
The entry of people from seven other countries, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela, were partially restricted.
However, the good times would not last as in a rude jolt US President Donald Trump’s administration is considering significantly expanding its travel restrictions by potentially banning citizens of 36 additional countries from entering the United States, according to an internal State Department cable seen by Reuters.
These 36 countries included Bhutan on the list.
An official said that this time around Bhutan was on the list due to the high rate of visa overstay.
The countries that could face a full or a partial ban if they do not address these concerns within the next 60 days are: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cote D’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, Ethiopia, Egypt, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, South Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Among the concerns, the State Department raised, was the lack of a competent or cooperative government by some of the countries mentioned to produce reliable identity documents, the cable said. Another was “questionable security” of that country’s passport.
Some countries, the cable said, were not cooperative in facilitating the removal of its nationals from the United States who were ordered to be removed. Some countries were overstaying the US visas their citizens were being granted.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade (MoFAET) has already swung into action and in a document titled, ‘Strategy to address visa overstay in US,’ the ministry, on 20th June, sent out an important notification to all Bhutanese staying in the US in view of the recent notifications issued by the United States Government on strengthened measures concerning border security and immigration enforcement.
MoFAET advised Bhutanese nationals living in the US to strictly comply with US immigration laws and regulations at all times; Bhutanese nationals without lawful immigration status are strongly urged to self-deport at the earliest opportunity; Voluntary departure (self-deportation) may include financial assistance for travel to Bhutan from the relevant US government agency.
The advisory also gave the link on where to register.
It said the enforcement of US immigration laws and regulations is the sovereign prerogative of the United States Government. All Bhutanese must fully comply with directives issued by US immigration authorities at all times.
It said the Royal Government of Bhutan will not be in a position to intervene or provide consular support in cases of non-compliance with US immigration laws and regulations.
The ministry appealed to all Bhutanese nationals in the US to act responsibly and in accordance with applicable laws.
A senior official said, “We have to show seriousness in the over stay rate and let’s hope our efforts pay off.”
The hope is that such measures will keep Bhutan off any list in addition to measures already taken earlier in coordination with US officials.
When one looks at the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Entry/Exit Overstay Report for 2023 the average rate of visa overstays for citizens of 154 countries (that do not have visa waiver) under the business and pleasure (tourism) visa category is 3.20% while Bhutan’s overstay rate in this category is 12.15%. However, Bhutan is not the only one as there are 19 other countries with higher percentages than Bhutan.
In 2022 Bhutan’s overstay rate for the business and pleasure (tourism) visa category was 60.18% ranking in second place. In 2020 it was 9.02% ranking in 26th place. In 2019 it was 16.67% ranking in 8th place. In 2018 it was 13.07% ranking in 11th place. In 2017 it was 14.21% ranking in 5th place. In 2016 it was 25.89% ranking in 3rd place. In 2015 it was 24.89% and in 2014 it was 20.29% ranking in second place in both years.
The main problem for Bhutan’s visa overstay problem is in this business and pleasure (tourism) visa category.
While the Students and Exchange Visitors visa overstay is also high, it is not as bad as the above.
Ultimately, whether Bhutan ends up on any travel ban list in the future is in the hands of Bhutanese citizens.
