US embassies in London, Berlin halt visas for dual nationals on ban list

The US embassies in London and Berlin on Monday suspended all visa applications for "aliens" from Iraq, Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, including dual nationals.

A statement issued by the US embassy in London, titled "Executive order on protecting the nation from terrorist attacks by foreign nationals," ordered all nationals or dual nationals of the seven countries not to schedule visa appointments or pay visa fees "at this time".

UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson had pledged on Sunday that dual nationals of the countries subject to the ban would not be affected.

The US embassy in Berlin put out a similar statement on Monday morning.

The EU said on Monday that it is analysing the ban to see how it will affect European citizens.

European Commission spokesperson Margaritis Schinas told a news conference that the bloc was getting "conflicting input" on whether the ban would affect EU citizens with dual nationality from the countries affected.

Asked about Trump's move, he said that the EU itself did not discriminate among people arriving on the grounds of race, nationality or religion.

Double standards

Italy's foreign minister said on Monday that the European Union, which has put up its own border barriers, should not judge US President Donald Trump's rulings on immigration affairs.

Europe "is not in a good position to give opinions about the choices of others. Or is it that we want to forget that we too erect walls in Europe?" Alfano asked in an interview with the daily Corriere della Sera.

During Europe's 2015 migrant crisis, as tens of thousands of desperate people arrived mainly from the war-torn Middle East, the Balkan countries shut their borders, with Hungary putting up fences to stop the influx.

Alfano - who was interior minister until December - said, however, that Italy has taken a different position on refugees and migrants.

Italy is a "world champion" rescuer of migrants crossing the Mediterranean and welcoming them to its shores, and can attest to the fact that "security and solidarity can go hand in hand," he said.

"Our vision is different (from Trump's) and up to now has shown to be successful with regard to security," he added, noting there was no conflating of migration and terrorism.

Trump on Friday signed a three-month ban on travellers from seven Muslim countries and suspended the arrival of refugees to the United States for at least 120 days, provoking criticism and protests around the world.