US travel ban: UK dual nationals not affected says Foreign Office

The US border clampdown should not affect UK nationals travelling to the US, even if they were born in one of the countries on which restrictions have been placed, officials say.

But new guidance says those with dual nationality travelling from Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria or Yemen could face extra border checks.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson earlier contacted US officials for clarification over the 90-day ban on visa holders from the seven countries ordered by President Trump.

Earlier Mr Johnson tweeted it was "divisive and wrong" to stigmatise people on the basis of nationality.

It came after Prime Minister Theresa May came under fire for not condemning the order earlier.

A spokesman for British Olympic champion Sir Mo Farah, who was born in Somalia and lives in the US, said he was "relieved" to learn that the order would not apply to him, but said he "fundamentally disagrees with this incredibly divisive and discriminatory policy".

He earlier said it was "deeply troubling" that he may have had to tell his children he could not go home.

Meanwhile, a petition to stop a state visit to the UK by President Trump later this year may be debated in Parliament, after amassing more than 500,000 signatures.

Who is affected by the ban?

Advice issued by the Foreign Office said:

The presidential executive order only applies to individuals travelling from one of the seven named countries

If you are travelling to the US from anywhere other than one of those countries, including the UK,



the executive order does not apply to you and you will experience no extra checks regardless of your nationality or your place of birth

If you are a UK national who happens to be travelling from one of those countries to the US then the order does not apply to you even if you were born in one of those countries

If you are a dual citizen of one of those countries travelling to the US from outside those countries then the order does not apply to you

The only dual nationals who might have extra checks are those coming from one of the seven countries themselves - for example a UK-Libya dual national coming from Libya to the US

The Foreign Office said the US has reaffirmed its strong commitment to the "expeditious processing" of all travellers from the UK.

However, there have been cases of people who have been caught up in the ban, including a Glasgow vet who was told she could not fly from Costa Rica via New York as she travels on an Iranian passport.

The prime minister had been criticised for not condemning the US order when she was first asked about it, at a press conference in Turkey on Saturday.

She initially said it was up to the US to decide its policy on refugees but No 10 later issued a statement saying she did "not agree with this kind of approach and it is not one we will be taking".

Mrs May asked Mr Johnson and Home Secretary Amber Rudd to speak to the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security.

Downing St said it showed she was "absolutely determined" to respond to fears about the ban.