Attorneys and foreign nationals are reporting that US consular officers in Europe are denying O-1 visas for individuals who “possesses extraordinary ability” or a “demonstrated record of extraordinary achievement” based on the March 11, 2020, presidential proclamation (PP 9993) that restricted travel to the US from the Schengen Area, which includes twenty-six European countries. This March 11 proclamation stated: “The entry into the United States, as immigrants or nonimmigrants, of all aliens who were physically present within the Schengen Area during the 14-day period preceding their entry or attempted entry into the United States is hereby suspended and limited.” (Other proclamations enacted similar travel restrictions for other countries including England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland, as well as Brazil.)
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