U.S. Authorities’s Journey Ban Prolonged and Expanded to Extra International locations

Since June 9, 2025, journey into the United States by residents of 19 international locations has been absolutely or partially restricted, as described in our prior information alert. The June journey ban imposed two classes of visa restrictions on 19 international locations in complete. 12 international locations (Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen) had been subjected to a ban on all non-immigrant and immigrant visas. 7 international locations (Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela) had been topic to a ban on all immigrant visas and a barely extra restricted ban on vacationer, scholar, and change customer visas.

On December 16, 2025, President Trump issued a brand new Proclamation extending and increasing the journey ban to extra international locations. Seven international locations had been added to the total restriction, and 15 to the partial restriction. One nation, Turkmenistan, was faraway from the non-immigrant journey ban on account of enhancements made by that nation, though immigrant visas are nonetheless restricted. The up to date journey ban takes impact at 12:01am EST on January 1, 2026.

The international locations topic to the total restriction—i.e., no entry in an immigrant or non-immigrant classification—are: Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Burma (Myanmar), Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Yemen. The full restriction additionally applies to anybody touring on paperwork issued by the Palestinian Authority.

The international locations topic to the partial restriction—i.e., no immigrant visas and no entry in customer or scholar non-immigrant classification—are: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Togo, Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Like the June journey ban, this Proclamation consists of a lot of exceptions. First, it solely applies to people who’re outdoors of the U.S. when it takes impact (12:01am EST on January 1, 2026) and who shouldn’t have a legitimate visa stamp. Lawful everlasting residents and twin nationals touring on a passport from one other nation are exempt, and people who’ve a legitimate visa are in a position to journey on that visa till it expires—no visas ought to be revoked on account of the Proclamation. Athletes, coaches, and help employees touring for the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Summer Olympics are exempt, and there’s a course of for the Attorney General or Secretary of State to permit exceptions on a case-by-case foundation for people whose journey to the U.S. is within the nationwide curiosity. However, the expanded journey ban removes earlier exemptions for rapid family members of U.S. residents and kids adopted overseas.

In late November, USCIS put in place a blanket pause on the adjudication of all immigration advantages for international nationals topic to the June journey ban, together with immigrant and nonimmigrant employee petitions, inexperienced card functions, and even citizenship oath ceremonies. Now that the journey ban has expanded to extra international locations, USCIS may droop the adjudication of profit functions for people who turn into topic to the journey ban on January 1, 2026.