Topics: Donald Trump, Travel, Health, News, US News, Politics, World News
Donald Trump made headlines earlier this week with his controversial plans to ban 'fat foreigners' from receiving a US visa.
Yep - you read that right, the US President's State Department has issued guidance instructing visa officers to turn away immigrants who are obese or suffer from specific health conditions.
A memo was sent out last Thursday (6 November) from department to embassies and consulates around the world, sharing the news that those applying for visas to America may be rejected if they have particular medical conditions, based on concerns they might burden domestic healthcare resources.
The memo read: "You must consider an applicant’s health. Certain medical conditions - including, but not limited to, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, cancers, diabetes, metabolic diseases, neurological diseases, and mental health conditions - can require hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of care."
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It continues: "Does the applicant have adequate financial resources to cover the costs of such care over his entire expected lifespan without seeking public cash assistance or long-term institutionalisation at government expense?"
The memo also directly mentions obesity, discussing how it can link to a range of associated conditions, including asthma, sleep apnoea and high blood pressure.
The controversial directive has sparked quite the debate online - but which other countries have wild visa requirements?
Although for most of us the days of rigorous COVID testing and travel bans are a thing of the past, if you're planning to go to Turkmenistan anytime soon, you'll need to take a COVID-19 test upon arrival.
All travellers by air must undergo a COVID-19 test when they get to Ashgabat airport, which costs $ 31dollars cash - there's no test if you enter by land or sea.
However, interestingly, you don't need a COVID-19 vaccine to enter the country, just a negative test.
According to Go2Tutors, Turkmenistan also bans importing nicotine products, gold teeth, and gold dental caps, creating very specific customs declarations.
Another strange requirement is Russia's demand that visitors list every country they’ve visited over the past decade on visa applications, so if you're a keen traveller with a bad memory, you may be in trouble.
And that's not all - The Telegraph reports that Russia also sometimes requires details of applicants’ Facebook and Twitter accounts.
The online form reportedly asks applicants: "Do you have a social network account. If the answer is positive, you have to indicate information of up to five social networks."
As for Canada, the country advises that any parent travelling alone with their child should bring a letter from their spouse proving that the arrangement is consensual.
This rule is in place to avoid the abduction of children by a parent, however, as you can imagine, it's also tripped up some completely innocent parents who had no idea it existed.
Finally, it will come as no surprise that North Korea has a distinct set of rules, which includes tourists bringing their own toilet paper, as well as Government-approved minders accompanying visitors at all times and phones getting confiscated upon arrival.
