Donald Trump says 'making America safe is my number one priority' as eight countries are added to travel 'ban' list

Donald Trump has extended travel restrictions on entering the US to a further eight countries, saying "making America safe" is is his number one priority.

The US president issued an order that will see people from North Korea, Chad, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen all subjected to severe new restrictions on entry into the US.

Trump posted on Twitter: "Making America Safe is my number one priority. We will not admit those into our country we cannot safely vet."

The new rules will come into effect on October 18 and range from an indefinite ban on visas for citizens of countries such as Syria to more targeted restrictions.

For example, a suspension of non-immigrant visas to citizens for Venezuela will apply only to certain government officials and their immediate families.

The announcement comes the same day as Mr Trump's temporary ban on visitors from six Muslim-majority countries was set to expire 90 days after it went into effect.

That ban had barred citizens of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen who lack a "credible claim of a bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the United States" from entering the US.

Only one of those countries, Sudan, will no longer be subject to travel restrictions.

Unlike the first iteration of Mr Trump's travel ban, which sparked chaos at airports across the country and a flurry of legal challenges, officials stressed they had been working for months on the new rules, in collaboration with various agencies and in conversation with foreign governments.

To limit confusion, valid visas would not be revoked as a result of the proclamation. The order also permits, but does not guarantee, case-by-case waivers for citizens of the affected countries who meet certain criteria.

People who have previously worked or studied in the US for a lengthy and continuous period of time may be exempt on a case-by-case basis.

Those who have previously established "significant contacts" in the US and have "significant business or professional obligations" in the US could also avoid the ban.

The restrictions are targeted at countries that the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says fail to share sufficient information with the US. or have not taken necessary security precautions.

Over the course of the last three months, DHS worked to developed new security measures, which include factors such as whether countries issue electronic passports with biometric information, report lost or stolen passports to Interpol, and share information about travellers' terror-related and criminal histories.

The US has given every country in the world 50 days to comply with these new requirements.

A total of 16 countries did not comply at first, officials said, but half worked with the US to improve their information-sharing and security practices.

The remaining eight are now subject to the new restrictions until they are deemed in compliance.

The includes a suspension of all immigrants visas for nationals of Chad, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Syria, Yemen and Somalia, and the suspension of non-immigrant visas, such as for business and tourism, to nationals of Chad, Libya, North Korea, Syria and Yemen.

Citizens of Iran will not be eligible for tourism and business visas, but remain eligible for student and cultural exchange visas if they undergo additional scrutiny. Such additional scrutiny will also be required for Somali citizens applying for all non-immigrant visas.