New travel ban
On June 4, 2025, the Trump administration announced a new travel ban that blocks or limits entry to the U.S. for people from certain countries.
On December 16, 2025, more countries were added to this list or will now be subject to harsher restrictions. These are marked with an asterisk (*). These restrictions start on January 1, 2026.
There are two types of restrictions: full travel ban and partial travel ban.
1. Full travel bans for 20 countries
People from these countries and regions are not allowed to enter the U.S. unless they qualify for a specific exception:
- Afghanistan
- Burkina Faso*
- Burma
- Chad
- Republic of the Congo
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Haiti
- Iran
- Laos*
- Libya
- Mali*
- Niger*
- Palestinian Authority issued travel document holders*
- Sierra Leone*
- Somalia
- South Sudan*
- Sudan
- Syria*
- Yemen
Exceptions (meaning you can still enter) include:
- If you are from a June 2025 travel ban (no asterisk *) and have valid visas as of June 9, 2025
- If you are from a January 2026 travel ban (with asterisk *) and have valid visas as of January 1, 2025
- Green Card holders (lawful permanent residents)
- Dual nationals traveling on a passport of a country not on the list
- Certain diplomatic and official visa holders (A, G, NATO)
- Some religious or ethnic minorities from Iran
- Athletes and their staff attending major international events
Afghan SIV holders, certain U.S. government-affiliated SIVs, and immediate relatives of U.S. citizens will be included in the expanded travel ban on January 1. These groups will no longer have special exceptions. Only in very rare cases will the U.S. government consider an exception.
Important:
- If you are from one of the full travel ban countries and you leave the U.S., you may not be allowed to return. Even if you are exempt from the ban (for example, you have a Green Card), you could face problems when trying to re-enter the U.S.
- If you travel to one of these countries (even if you are not from there), you could face extra screening or reentry issues, especially if you are not a U.S. citizen.
- Visa types included in the ban (meaning they cannot be used to enter) include:
- F2A and F2B visas (spouses and children of Green Card holders)
- Diversity Visa (DV) winners
- Employment-based visas (H, L, O, etc.)
- Student and visitor visas (F, M, J, B)
- K-1 fiancé(e) visas
- Follow-to-join (I-730) cases for both asylees and refugees may proceed. Most follow-to-join asylee cases are being processed overseas and will be allowed to travel, but beneficiaries must now pay for their own medical exams and travel expenses. However, follow-to-join asylee cases for individuals from countries named in the travel ban are being denied after consular interviews. Most follow-to-join refugee cases are still on hold overseas. Travel to the U.S. is also on hold.
2. Partial restrictions for 20 countries
Some travelers from these countries can still enter the U.S., but certain visa types are restricted:
- Angola*
- Antigua and Barbuda*
- Benin*
- Burundi
- Cote d’Ivoire*
- Cuba
- Dominica*
- Gabon*
- The Gambia*
- Malawi*
- Mauritania*
- Nigeria*
- Senegal*
- Tanzania*
- Togo
- Tonga*
- Turkmenistan
- Venezuela
- Zambia*
- Zimbabwe*
The ban for Turkmenistan now only blocks Turkmen nationals from entering on immigrant visas. The ban on Turkmen visitor visas will be lifted. Laos and Sierra Leone had partial restrictions, but as of January 1, 2026, will have full restrictions.
Partial restrictions mean:
- No new immigrant visas (to enter the U.S. as a lawful permanent resident)
- No non-immigrant visas in the B, J, F, or M categories
- Shorter visa eligibility times for other non-immigrant categories
- Longer screening and processing times
- Extra paperwork or interviews
- More questions at the airport or border
- Green Card holders from these countries should not be affected
Even if the travel ban does not apply to you, international travel may still be risky if you are not a U.S. citizen. Flying within the U.S. can also carry risks of immigration enforcement. You may need a travel document. Learn more.
More rules for people from travel ban countries
If you are from any of the countries listed above:
- Immigration applications have been paused. If you have already applied for a benefit, including a Green Card and naturalization, your case is on hold.
If you are from a country listed in the June 2025 travel ban:
- Immigration benefits are being checked again for people who entered the U.S. on or after January 20, 2021. If you were approved for a benefit, such as a Green Card, your case may be reviewed again.
- Green Card holders may be re-checked. If you have a Green Card, you may be subject to a review or re-interview. This re-interview process has not yet started.
- You may face more security checks. USCIS will now treat security concerns and problems verifying identity documents as negative factors when reviewing certain immigration cases.
USCIS is re-checking refugee cases from January 20, 2021, to February 20, 2025. If you entered through the refugee program during this time, there is no immediate change to your current status, but your case may be reviewed again. Pending Green Card applications for this group are also paused.
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