Trump Administration Halts Visas for Unmarried LGBT Diplomats

The Trump administration is no longer granting same-sex partners of UN staff and diplomats visas to enter the country. Previously, gay and lesbian partners of diplomats were granted a diplomatic visa, but the White House will deny this visa requests.

So, what’s their reasoning? The White House is claiming that it is “to help ensure and promote equal treatment.”

Gay and lesbian couples must now provide proof of marriage by the end of the year or they will be required to leave the United States within 30 days. Partners that want to come to the US must provide proof of marriage to enter the country.

This new decision, according to Foreign Policy, will impact roughly 10 UN employees in the US.

In a letter sent to UN delegates in July, the U.S. mission to the UN said: “same-sex spouses of U.S. diplomats now enjoy the same rights and benefits as opposite-sex spouses. Consistent with [State] Department policy, partners accompanying members of permanent missions or seeking to join the same must generally be married in order to be eligible” for the visa.

The new policy would place an extraordinary burden on LGBTQ diplomats and families from countries without marriage equality. Since 2009, under an order introduced by then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the United States has granted diplomatic visas to domestic partners of foreign diplomats and U.N. employees. These couples must now show proof of marriage by December 31st of this year or leave the country within 30 days.