US travel ban leaves residents stranded in Oman

The fresh US travel ban which bars people from six Middle Eastern countries has left residents in Oman frustrated.

The new executive order approved by the Trump administration bans people from six countries, Syria, Somalia, Sudan, Libya, Yemen and Iran, from entering the US for 90 days, effective from March 16, while Syrians have been banned for 120 days.

Fatima Mohammad, a Sudanese resident of Oman, whose mother Aisha has permanent residency in the US, says her mother is now stuck in Sudan.

Her mother had travelled to Sudan on holiday and is now unable to return to her home in Atlanta.

Fatima had planned to visit her mom in the states, but now her plans are on hold

Ahmed Lutfi, a Libyan, who has been living in the US for 10 years with his family in Boston and is permanent residenct was on holiday in Oman for two months.

“I’m stuck here. I want to go back and join my family. It’s frustrating,” he told Gulf News.

Mustafa Abu Noor, a Syrian resident who works as an engineer at a top construction company in Oman, says the ban prevented him from attending a workshop in the US last week.

“We are peaceful people, not terrorists,” he said.

Meanwhile, airlines and travel agencies are advising people to contact the US embassy in Muscat before travelling.

The US embassy in Muscat earlier issued a standard advisory that any citizen of the seven banned countries will not be given a visa appointment

source : gulfnews