Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) concerning Al-Qaida and the Taliban and Associated Individuals and Entities

Fact Sheet on the Travel Ban and its exemptions

1. This fact sheet provides basic information on the travel ban and its exemptions.
By the adoption of resolution 1390 (2002), the Security Council imposed a travel ban, reiterated in subsequent resolutions, including resolution 1822 (2008) adopted on 30 June 2008.
The provisions of paragraph 1(b) of resolution 1822 (2008) mandate States to "prevent the entry into or the transit through their territories of Al-Qaida, Usama bin Laden and the Taliban and other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with them, as referred to in the list created pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1333 (2000)" (the "Consolidated List"), which is updated and maintained by the 1267 Committee.
The travel ban applies to all the individuals on the Consolidated List wherever they may be located. The responsibility to implement the travel ban lies with the States of entry and/or transit.
There are three possible exemptions from the travel ban measure which are described in paragraph 1(b) of resolution 1822 (2008):

"provided that nothing in this paragraph shall oblige any State to deny entry into or require the departure from its territories of its own nationals";
"and this paragraph shall not apply where entry or transit is necessary for the fulfillment of a judicial process";
"or the Committee determines on a case by case basis only that entry or transit is justified".

Under the third type of exemption [“the Committee determines on a case by case basis only that entry or transit is justified”], it is possible to apply for an exemption from the travel ban for necessary travel needs, including medical treatment abroad and the performance of religious obligations. Each request for exemption must be submitted in writing, by the relevant State(s) or in exceptional cases by a United Nations office or agency, on behalf of a listed individual to the Committee’s Chairman, through the Committee’s Secretariat (e-mail: SC-1267-Committee@un.org; or fax: +1 212 963 1300). Section 11 of the Committee’s Guidelines sets out the procedures for applications for exemptions from the travel ban measure.
Unless the Committee otherwise decides, all requests for exemptions and extensions thereto which have been approved by the Committee in accordance with procedures set out in section 11 of the Committee’s Guidelines shall be posted in the “Exemptions” section of the Committee’s website until expiry of the exemption.