U.S. State Department Classifies Citizens of Russia, Syria, and Libya as "Displaced" Due to Visa Difficulties

The U.S. Department of State has issued an official document categorizing Russian citizens as part of the "displaced nationalities" who are unable to obtain a U.S. visa within their country. According to the document published and revised on October 21, the list of "displaced nationalities" includes countries that do not have a U.S. consulate or embassy on their territory or face a shortage of diplomatic staff for their citizens to secure a visa to enter the United States. In addition to Russian citizens, the list includes citizens from Cuba, Eritrea, Iran, Libya, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen. The State Department advised citizens of these countries to travel to other nations if they wish to obtain a visa to enter the United States. It specified that Russian citizens seeking a U.S. visa should go to the Polish capital, Warsaw. The U.S. State Department noted that Syrians can obtain a U.S. visa by visiting the U.S. embassy in Amman or Beirut, while Libyans aspiring to travel to the U.S. must submit their applications at the U.S. embassy in Tunisia. Iranians are required to go to Abu Dhabi, Ankara, or Yerevan in Armenia.