Bhutan has been included in a proposed ‘Red List’ alongside 11 other nations, potentially facing a total travel restriction to the United States. This information comes from a report by The New York Times (NYT). Many readers found the news surprising and unusual. This comes amidst rising tensions between India and China.

Possible Reasons for Bhutan’s Inclusion

Bhutan’s placement on the draft ‘Red List’ is likely to shock many Bhutanese citizens, as the rationale behind this decision remains unclear. It is also uncertain whether Bhutan will remain on the final Red List or be moved to a different category.

The Bhutanese have been examining potential explanations for this move by the United States.

This proposed ban follows a significant immigration scandal in Nepal in 2023, where numerous Nepalese individuals, pretending to be ‘Bhutanese Refugees,’ gained entry into the United States. High-ranking Nepalese politicians, officials, and senior figures from refugee camps were reportedly involved in the scheme.

Additionally, last year, reports emerged of several Bhutanese citizens crossing into Canada, with five individuals being detained.

Data from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security reveals that 200 Bhutanese nationals were apprehended for illegal residency in the United States between 2013 and 2022 under the category of ‘Expulsions and Noncitizens Apprehensions by Region and Country of Nationality.’

The figures are as follows:

• 7 illegal immigrants in 2013
• 12 in 2014
• 24 in 2015
• 22 in 2016
• 30 in 2017
• 26 in 2018
• 33 in 2019
• 14 in 2020
• 15 in 2021
• 17 in 2022

Furthermore, between 2013 and 2022, a total of 61 Bhutanese nationals were denied entry to the United States under the ‘Noncitizen Inadmissibility’ guidelines. Albeit, people are not satisfied with the speculated reasons.

Update on the Situation

While NYT reported Bhutan’s inclusion in the draft Red List, Reuters published a separate report indicating that Bhutan appeared on a draft ‘Yellow List,’ which suggests partial travel restrictions unless specific deficiencies are resolved.

According to Reuters, a U.S. official, speaking anonymously, noted that the list could change before being approved by the administration, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The final decision will be known once the official list is released. It is possible that NYT and Reuters reviewed the same draft list at different stages.

Other Nations on the List

The overall list covers citizens from 43 countries and introduces a travel ban broader than those imposed during President Trump’s first term, according to NYT.

The 43 countries are divided into three categories: Red, Orange, and Yellow.

Red List (Complete Travel Ban):
Citizens from these 11 countries would face an outright entry ban:

• Afghanistan
• Bhutan
• Cuba
• Iran
• Libya
• North Korea
• Somalia
• Sudan
• Syria
• Venezuela
• Yemen

Officials informed NYT that the list was prepared by the State Department several weeks ago, but changes are expected before it is finalized by the White House.

Diplomats, regional bureaus, security experts, and intelligence agencies are reviewing the draft and suggesting adjustments based on national security and diplomatic interests.

Orange List (Restricted Travel):
The draft ‘Orange List’ includes 10 countries whose citizens would face travel restrictions but not a complete ban. Wealthy business travelers might be allowed to enter, but immigrant and tourist visas would be limited. Citizens from these nations would also need to undergo mandatory in-person visa interviews:

• Belarus
• Eritrea
• Haiti
• Laos
• Myanmar
• Pakistan
• Russia
• Sierra Leone
• South Sudan
• Turkmenistan

Yellow List (Potential Future Ban):
The draft ‘Yellow List’ includes 22 nations given 60 days to address perceived security gaps or face being moved to a stricter category. Issues include failure to share traveler information, inadequate passport security, or selling citizenships to people from banned countries. The yellow-listed nations are:

• Angola
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Benin
• Burkina Faso
• Cambodia
• Cameroon
• Cape Verde
• Chad
• Republic of Congo
• Democratic Republic of Congo
• Dominica
• Equatorial Guinea
• Gambia
• Liberia
• Malawi
• Mali
• Mauritania
• St. Kitts and Nevis
• St. Lucia
• São Tomé and Príncipe
• Vanuatu
• Zimbabwe

Background and Policy Context

When Trump took office on January 20, he signed an executive order instructing the State Department to identify nations with deficient vetting and screening protocols that could justify a travel suspension. The department was given 60 days to complete a report for the White House, which is now approaching its deadline.

The Bureau of Consular Affairs has taken the lead on the report, with assistance from the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

While some nations on the draft Red and Orange lists were included in Trump’s initial travel bans, others are new additions. The newly listed nations are generally poor, Muslim-majority, or perceived to have unstable or corrupt governments.

Bhutan’s proposed inclusion on the absolute ban list remains puzzling. The small Buddhist and Hindu nation is located between China and India—neither of which appear on any of the draft lists.

The proposed policy also includes the option to move countries between categories based on compliance and cooperation.