- Title: Iranian visa applicants suffer from U.S. ban on Muslim migrants
- Date: 30th January 2017
- Summary: ANKARA, TURKEY (JANUARY 30, 2017) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF IRANIAN TRAVEL AGENCY PROVIDING VISA SERVICE VARIOUS SIGNS OUTSIDE BUILDING READING (Farsi and Turkish): "VISA SERVICE" OWNER OF RAHWANI TRAVEL AGENCY, ALI REZA RAHWANI, WORKING AT HIS DESK VARIOUS OF RAHWANI CHECKING PAPERS VISA APPLICATION (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) RAHWANI TRAVEL AGENCY OWNER, ALI REZA RAHWANI, SAYING: "There are so many Iranians in the U.S. There are so many U.S. citizens who have applied for their families (for U.S. resettlement). Beside there are many people who have residence permits, there are also green card holders because they applied for their families. It is not that easy (to ban them from the U.S.). There are thousands, even tens of thousands." RAHWANI'S HAND (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) RAHWANI TRAVEL AGENCY OWNER, ALI REZA RAHWANI, SAYING: "They (Iranians) are ready to go (to the U.S.). They got their visas, but officials denied them at the airport. Is it that easy? Before, if they had been given (visas), they have been told that they can go. And then they (the U.S. government) had said, 'we are not issuing new ones'. How come now you are making them (the visa holders) face new regulations? Nothing bad will happen to those people of course. But how can they force this law now? It shouldn't be that easy. Those people (the applicants) made a decision (after receiving visas), they may have also sold their houses and transferred funds." RAHWANI'S HANDS (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) RAHWANI TRAVEL AGENCY OWNER, ALI REZA RAHWANI, SAYING: "Now an American citizen is applying for his/her spouse and it takes a year. At the end he/she can't leave even if he/she has a visa. This is totally nonsense. Her/his spouse is there. A U.S citizen is applying for the children and they are now about to get their visas, but they're told they can't go. It had taken 12 year for (someone's) brother but now he has been told he can't leave. It shouldn't be that easy. If you don't want to give a tourist visa then don't give it, but then come to my country (Iran)." RAHWANI'S HAND (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) RAHWANI TRAVEL AGENCY OWNER, ALI REZA RAHWANI, SAYING: "For tourist visas, U.S. embassy says 'fill the form, pay your fee of USD $160 and then I will give you an appointment when there is an open slot'. Now thousands of people have paid, how will you refund them? This has its own bureaucracy. You ask for your refund by writing and I (the U.S. government) will refund it in a month's time. If now you're saying this, you have to refund immediately. They also asked money from migrants. They took at least USD $600 from each migrant for application process. They paid for doctors (for medical examinations). They came and went. All that takes money. They have to be compensated for their expenses (by the U.S. government)." WHITE FLASH (SOUNDBITE) (Farsi) RAHWANI TRAVEL AGENCY OWNER, ALI REZA RAHWANI, SAYING: "Regarding the visa, they (the U.S. government) should have said 'we're not issuing this right now, you have to wait', but you have to issue the ban ahead of time, something like two months, and then refuse to accept new (visa) applications. Some people have waited nearly 14 years for their visas. They come here (to Ankara), get interviewed, get their visas and have now been refused at the airport. So who is going to pay for these peoples' expenses? They've sold their possessions, transferred money, they come here, spending nearly USD $2000, paying for doctors (for visa medical examinations). Who will pay for all these expenses?" WHITE FLASH (SOUNDBITE) (Farsi) RAHWANI TRAVEL AGENCY OWNER, ALI REZA RAHWANI, SAYING: "If it were me, I would take this to a U.S. court and win compensation. It's really straightforward. But what can these people do? They are too scared to talk in case something changes in two months' time. 'If we complain they (the U.S. government) might not issue me a visa.' They can't say anything." WHITE FLASH (SOUNDBITE) (Farsi) RAHWANI TRAVEL AGENCY OWNER, ALI REZA RAHWANI, SAYING: "This is something that can damage relations between the peoples of Iran and the U.S. This is an issue between governments that needs diplomacy, not (for the U.S.) to take any opportunity to attack them (the Iranian government). Iran's government can deal with this easily and can make deals with other nations. The U.S. did a similar thing with Turkey. Turkey realised it made a mistake by befriending the U.S. and has turned back (to Russia)."
- Embargoed: 13th February 2017 15:25
- Keywords: Iranians U.S. Visa Travel Ban Travel agency Iran Trump Turkey
- Location: ANKARA, TURKEY
- City: ANKARA, TURKEY
- Country: Turkey
- Topics: Lawmaking,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001619WRIF
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The owner of a travel agency in Turkey which provides visa services for Iranian citizens has called U.S. President Donald Trump's ban on travellers from Muslim-majority countries "nonsense".
Trump on Friday (January 27) put a four-month hold on allowing refugees into the United States and temporarily banned travellers from seven Muslim-majority countries, a list that includes Iran.
While Trump defended the move as a measure that helps to protect Americans from terrorism, travel agency owner Ali Reza Rahwani said the policy would damage relations between the peoples of the U.S. and countries affected, like Iran.
Some Iranians have been turned away from airports since the order was issued, even after successfully obtaining a visa from the U.S. embassy in Ankara.
"They (the U.S. government) should have said 'we're not issuing this right now, you have to wait', but you have to issue the ban ahead of time, something like two months, and then refuse to accept new (visa) applications. Some people have waited nearly 14 years for their visas. They come here (to Ankara), get interviewed, get their visas and have now been refused at the airport. So who is going to pay for these peoples' expenses?" Rahwani asked.
"This is something that can damage relations between the peoples of Iran and the U.S. This is an issue between governments that needs diplomacy, not (for the U.S.) to take any opportunity to attack them (the Iranian government)," he continued to say.
In addition to Iranians, the ban affects travellers with passports from Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, including those with dual nationality that includes one of those countries, and extends on a case-by-case basis to "green card" holders who are authorised to live and work in the United States. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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