Exclusive: State department memo directs officers to bar those deemed to misrepresent birth sex on applications

The US state department has ordered officials worldwide to deny visas to transgender athletes attempting to come to the US for sports competitions and to issue permanent visa bans against those who are deemed to misrepresent their birth sex on visa applications.

The 24 February state department cable obtained by the Guardian instructs visa officers to apply Immigration and Nationality Act section 212(a)(6)©(i) – the “permanent fraud bar” – against trans applicants. Unlike regular visa denials, this section triggers lifetime exclusion from the United States with limited waiver possibilities.

“In cases where applicants are suspected of misrepresenting their purpose of travel or sex, you should consider whether this misrepresentation is material such that it supports an ineligibility finding,” reads the directive from the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio.

MBFC
Archive

  • @acchariyaEnglish
    12•8 hours ago

    I wonder how this could work in practice if someone has an updated passport. It’s almost like it’s a catch-22, if you put your birth sex on the visa application, it’s denied because it doesn’t match your passport, but if you put the sex from your passport, you are banned for fraud.