US visa validity for Dual Citizen of Syria and Antigua

Question

I presented myself to the US embassy for a B2 visa appointment as an Antigua and Barbuda citizen, but I also hold a Syrian passport. The visa processing officer ended up approving my application but decided to treat me as a Syrian citizen even though I specified Antigua and Barbuda nationality on my application. This means they granted me a single entry with a validity up to 3 months instead of the 10 years which normally an Antigua and Barbuda citizen would get. They also mentioned that the visa will be stamped on the Syrian passport instead of the Antiguan one. The officer mentioned that this is the US policy. However, I could not find any reference for such a policy when reading online. Do you think there is such a policy?

Answer 1

For most cases of most countries, having a citizenship of a country grants you privileges. If you are a citizen of country A and country A citizens don't need a visa, then you don't need a visa, whether or not you are also a citizen of country B.

However with the US and Syrian citizenship it's different. Syrian citizens are subject to restrictions, and those restrictions apply whether or not you are also a citizen of another country. The visa processing officer treated you absolutely correctly and according to the law.

There isn't a law saying "treat Syrian citizens as if they weren't dual", it just says "Syrian citizens are subject to these restrictions..." and those restrictions apply regardless of other citizenships. You are a Syrian citizen, so the restrictions apply to you.