US Immigration: HIV Travel Ban Could be Abolished Soon
16/07/2008 by Tamar Blieden
United States legislation that bans HIV positive people from entering the country as visitors or on a permanent basis could soon be something of the past.
A Senate bill that aims to combat AIDS and other deadly diseases in Africa and underdeveloped regions around the world has been proposed. And the issue around the HIV ban is included in it.
This visa change has been proposed by Democratic senator John Kerry and Republican senator Gordon Smith who believe, as Kerry says, "There's no excuse for a law that stigmatises a particular disease".
"Because a person is HIV-positive or has AIDS is no reason why they should not be allowed to travel," says Leane Hurrell of www.globalvisas.com, immigration and visa experts. Global Visas therefore welcomes such an initiative.
Under current law, HIV is the only medical condition that is listed in US immigration law. For short-term visits foreigners, tourists and students who are HIV-positive can apply for a special waiver; however this is notoriously difficult to attain. Permanent residence is almost impossible to achieve.
Kerry and Gordon have added this proposition to a legislation that aims to fight the HIV/AIDS pandemic over the next five years through a $50 billion investment.
This travel and immigration ban for HIV-positive people coming to the USA began in 1987 and became law just 6 years later in 1993. America is among twelve other countries that have such a ban. These include Sudan, Saudi Arabia and Russia.
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