State Department Denies Visas to Same-Sex Couples if not Married

Same-sex marriages have become the topic of discussion on the left today as the Trump administration moved to revoke visas for partners of foreign diplomats and UN employees. They are also requiring that gay couples who are already in the country, should their significant other decide to leave that they marry if he or she wishes to return. 

The US mission to the UN extended the decision as bringing policy and practices in line with current US policy. Since the 2015 Supreme Court decision to legalize same-sex marriage, diplomatic visas have been given only to married spouses of US diplomats.

“Same-sex spouses of U.S. diplomats now enjoy the same rights and benefits as opposite-sex spouses,” the U.S. mission wrote in a July 12 note to U.N.-based delegations. “Consistent with Department policy, partners accompanying members of permanent missions or seeking to join the same must generally be married in order to be eligible” for a diplomatic visa.

Former ambassador to the UN railed against the new policy is “bigoted” citing “State Dept. will no longer let same-sex domestic partners of UN employees get visas unless they are married,” she tweeted, noting that “only 12% of UN member states allow same-sex marriage.”

In 2009, Hillary Clinton had created a program allowing same sex couples to stay in the US as spouses of diplomats, however it did not issue same-sex spouses visas to enter the country . The new rule reverses that decision in a letter sent out to UN representatives and the contents were revealed in August by the Washington Blade. 

The new policy goes into effect on Monday and leaves same-sex couples of foreign diplomats with requirements to report proof of marriage by Dec. 31st of leave the country within 30 days. The same will go for needing to enter the country, the administration expressed this as an aim to ensure that all couples are treated equally. 

“The Department of State will not issue a G-4 visa for same-sex domestic partners,” HR explained to staff last month. “As of 1 October 2018, same-sex domestic partners … seeking to join newly arrived U.N. officials must provide proof of marriage to eligible for a G-4 visa or to seek a change in such status.”

The Trump administration noted that the US would allow “limited exceptions” to its new policy where same-sex marriage in the country of origin is illegal and the couple could prove a history together. 

Here is a conversation from the left on the topic that turns to infighting:

Neither party cares about LGBTQ rights or mental health. I'm glad that @BarackObama won gay marriage for us but there is still a lot I struggle with dealing with mental illness, wearing women's clothes in public, and having a healthy stable support system in place

— Kyle Loewy (@kloewypride) October 2, 2018

And bring on a healthy dose of victimhood!

You haven't met the Democrats I've met, @ProudResister. The Democrats like my husband and Twitter members who tell me I'm mentally ill for attention. You don't know me. You claim you defend survivors and then hurt people like me when we need you. I don't even plan on voting

— Kyle Loewy (@kloewypride) October 2, 2018

I don't think making casually homophobic comments about who candidates are dating is helping Democrats. I also think Democrats need to talk to the mentally ill too, because I'm a voter and I don't have any plans to go out and vote. I've had a lot taken from me because of my MH

— Kyle Loewy (@kloewypride) October 2, 2018

I haven't seen comments Democrats made about Graham's sexuality. Do you have a link?

You can get an absentee ballot mailed to you, if you have a mailing address. I don't know where you live; but the state I live in mails ballots out and this year they'll be paying return postage

— faewings (@faewings) October 2, 2018