The US State Department will from today stop issuing certain kinds of visas to some citizens of Cambodia, Eritrea, Guinea & Sierra Leonem because of the affected nations refusal to take back US deportees.

Reuters reports that the new policy sent out in cables by Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, to consular officials around the world, said the 4 countries were “denying or unreasonably delaying” the return of their citizens from the United States.

According to Tillerson, the new decision will be lifted in a country, if it accepted its deportees.

1. The provision for Eritrea: The cable says that any Eritrean who applies in their own country for most U.S. business or tourist visas to the US, will be rejected.

2. In Guinea: For Guinea, the United States will no longer issue a range of tourist, business & student visas to government officials & their immediate family members who apply from inside the country.

3. In Cambodia: Only Foreign Ministry employees at or above the rank of director general, & their families, who apply inside Cambodia, will be barred from getting some visas for personal travel, the third cable said.

4. Sierra Leone sanction: According to the fourth cable, Sierra Leone sanctions will see only Foreign Ministry & immigration officials denied tourist & business visas at the U.S. Embassy in Freetown.

Though, there are exceptions which will honor application from citizens of the 4 nations who apply for visas from outside their countries, including exceptions on humanitarian grounds or for travel “deemed in the interest of the United States”.

The new policy is not expected to affect visas already granted.