The United States announced Tuesday the lifting of its six-month ban on visitors and immigrants from Chad, saying the country had met key security requirements for vetting travelers. "The president announced today that Chad has raised its security standards to meet important baseline US national security requirements," the Department of Homeland Security announced.
"Therefore, its nationals will again be able to receive visas for travel to the United States." The travel restrictions will be officially terminated on April 13.
The central African country's government, which the US calls a "critical" partner in fighting terrorism, had expressed astonishment in September last year when the US unexpectedly added it to a list of five other mainly-Muslim countries under a travel ban. Chad's foreign minister Cherif Mahamat Zene welcomed the news.
"Chad is pleased to be removed from the list of countries whose nationals are banned from entering the United States, and hopes to further strengthen the strategic partnership and cooperation between the two countries," he tweeted.