Section 212(a)(3)(B)
US immigration inadmissibility provision; the legal bar named as blocking Mehdi Taremi from entering the United States.
Last refreshed: 5 June 2026
Does compulsory IRGC service automatically trigger Section 212(a)(3)(B) inadmissibility?
Timeline for Section 212(a)(3)(B)
Iran flies to Tijuana, no US visas
2026 FIFA World Cup- What is Section 212(a)(3)(B) and why does it affect Iran's World Cup players?
- Section 212(a)(3)(B) of the US INA bars individuals linked to designated terrorist organisations. It is the cited ground for refusing visas to Mehdi Taremi and Iran's IRGC-linked support staff, as the IRGC was designated a Foreign Terrorist Organisation by the US in 2019.Source:
- Can Mehdi Taremi get a visa waiver to play at the 2026 World Cup?
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio said IRGC-linked individuals would not be allowed to enter. No waiver or exception had been granted as of 5 June 2026, when Iran's squad departed without US visas.Source:
- Does compulsory Iranian military service count as IRGC membership under US immigration law?
- The US State Department has not publicly clarified whether compulsory IRGC service triggers Section 212(a)(3)(B) inadmissibility. The determination is made case-by-case by the Secretary of State.
Background
Section 212(a)(3)(B) of the US Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) is the provision governing inadmissibility on grounds of terrorism or membership in a designated foreign terrorist organisation. It is the cited legal bar preventing Mehdi Taremi — Iran's forward who served in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) between 2010 and 2012 — from receiving a US Visa to play in the 2026 World Cup. The IRGC was designated a Foreign Terrorist Organisation by the US in 2019.
Section 212(a)(3)(B) covers individuals who have engaged in terrorist activity, are members of a designated organisation, or who the Secretary of State believes are likely to engage in such activity. Secretary of State Marco Rubio cited IRGC-linked individuals as inadmissible under this provision in April 2026, distinguishing Iran's athletes (cleared) from its support staff (barred). The specific application to Taremi — a professional footballer who completed compulsory military service — is the contested ground in the Visa saga.