About five members of parliament have been denied US visas after it was determined that they failed to meet the multiple criteria set by the US.
The MPs visas were denied last week as they prepared to travel to the US together with some parliamentary staff to the Tennessee International conference.
A delegation of 90 was to attend the US conference and it emerged that some of them had problems with their visa applications which was later solved after high-level intervention.
The five who were barred are from both the National Assembly and the senate while the parliamentary staff barred alongside the MPs were from the clerical office of the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC).
The US is said to have stiff policies that they use on foreigners’ visas if they have information about them (foreigners) engaging in crimes such as drugs trade and terrorism, which is why the MPs were allegedly barred from traveling to the US.
Situations that disqualify applicants for US visas are found in the Immigration and Nationality Act INA, and other immigration laws.
One barred MP from the coastal region allegedly revealed that he was denied visa as the US had linked him to an extremist group terrorizing locals.
Mr. Michael Sialai, clerk of the National Assembly and Senate clerk Jeremiah Nyegenye, however, said that they did not know of any Senate and National Assembly members who were denied US visas.
Mr. Sialai noted that if Members of the assembly travel out of the country on official duty, then parliament takes care of the facilitation of the application of visas.
“The office of the clerk formally introduces such applicants but the decision to issue a visa lies solely with the country being visited, and any communication concerning the issuance of visa is usually communicated directly to the person who wishes to travel,” he said.
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