Correction: A previous version of this story stated that Canadian dual citizens would be affected by the travel ban. This has been changed following an email from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office confirming that Canadian passport holders won’t be affected by the ban.
Canadians who are dual citizens of Iraq, Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Libya and Yemen will be allowed to enter the United States, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office clarified on Saturday.
An email from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau‘s office late Saturday said that the U.S. has given assurances that Canadians with dual citizenship will not be turned away at the border.
Earlier, the U.S. State Department told Global News that dual citizens who hold Canadian passports as well as a passport from any of those countries would be covered by the executive order issued by U.S. President Donald Trump Friday.
READ MORE: Trump refugee ban causes chaos, panic, anger worldwide
“Travelers who have nationality or dual nationality of one of these countries will not be permitted for 90 days to enter the United States or be issued an immigrant or nonimmigrant visa,” a U.S. State Department official said in an emailed statement earlier on Saturday.
“Those nationals or dual nationals holding valid immigrant or nonimmigrant visas will not be permitted to enter the United States during this period. Visa interviews will generally not be scheduled for nationals of these countries during this period.”
“This Executive Order should not affect dual-nationality Americans at all.”
WestJet Airlines said it turned back a passenger bound for the United States Saturday in order to comply with the executive order.
WATCH: Trump’s border wall first step in process to strengthen immigration
WestJet spokeswoman Lauren Stewart said the airline would give full refunds to anyone affected by the U.S. executive order. It did not say which country the passenger had come from.
Stewart said WestJet had been informed by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) that the ban did not apply to dual citizens who had passports from countries other than those covered by the ban: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
“U.S. CBP has confirmed it is the citizenship document they present to enter the country, not the country of where they were born,” Stewart wrote in an email.
READ MORE: Trump signs order barring many refugees, but Syrian Christians may receive priority
Air Canada, the country’s other major airline, said it was complying with the order but did not comment on whether it had yet denied travel to any passengers.
“We are required to ensure passengers have the required documents for entry into, or transit the countries they are traveling to,” said spokeswoman Isabelle Arthur. “In the case of these nationalities, they are not permitted to enter the U.S.”
With files from Reuters
- What is a halal mortgage? How interest-free home financing works in Canada
- Capital gains changes are ‘really fair,’ Freeland says, as doctors cry foul
- Ontario doctors offer solutions to help address shortage of family physicians
- Budget 2024 failed to spark ‘political reboot’ for Liberals, polling suggests
Comments