ERBIL, Kurdistan Region—In the wake of the US travel ban on people from several Middle Eastern and Muslim countries, authorities at the Erbil international airport report that so far there has been one case of stopping a traveler from boarding a plane while advising people to consult with the US consulate for details on their personal circumstances.
Head of the Erbil International Airport, Talar Faiq told Rudaw that clear instructions have been provided to airlines on the new US rules on travel by citizens of several countries, including Iraq and people from those countries who have dual citizenship.
Faiq said that most people who have bought tickets bound for the US could possibly be reimbursed by their travel agents.
Faiq explained that the US Consulate General in Erbil has not sent any instructions to the airport staff, only to the airlines flying in and out of the Erbil airport.
On Saturday there was one case of barring an individual from boarding a plane with the United States being the destination, she said.
In order to avoid complications, Faiq advised all intent on traveling to the US on tourist visas or Green Card holders to refer to details of the US travel ban or consult with the American consulate in Erbil before making travel arrangements.
US President Donald Trump signed an executive order which bans citizens of Iraq, Iran, Somalia, Syria, Sudan, Libya and Yemen from traveling to the US for 90 days.
The ban has been criticized by many across the world especially civil rights activists in the United States.
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