The United Nations Building in New York (David Taffet/Dallas Voice)
The Trump administration will deny visas to unmarried same-sex partners of U.N. diplomats. Officials from other countries must prove they are married by the end of the year or their partners will be forced to leave the U.S. The decision will affect at least 10 current U.N. employees according to Foreign Policy.
Married same-sex couples have the same rights as opposite-sex couples while serving in the U.S. But if they return to their home countries, some of those U.N. staff members could be subject to prosecution, because homosexuality is illegal in their homelands.
In a September memo to staff, the U.N.’s chief of human resources wrote, “The Department of State will not issue a G-4 visa for same-sex domestic partners. 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 said it would make “limited exemptions” for diplomats from countries where same-sex marriage is illegal. That probably covers all of the partners who are not married.
The Trump administration claims the purpose is to equalize how same-sex and opposite-sex marriages are treated. No diplomatic visas are issued to opposite-sex partners. But same-sex partners from most countries have no option to marry in their country of origin and in some countries their marriage would put their lives in danger.
— David Taffet
