On Dec. 16, 2025, President Trump issued the proclamation, “Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States,” reaffirming and expanding previous immigration restrictions that limit the entry of foreign nationals from countries his administration has determined to have “deficient” screening and vetting systems. This proclamation builds upon earlier policies (Executive Order 14161 and Proclamation 10949), and expands the number of countries subject to total or partial travel bans, now restricting foreign nationals of 36 countries from traveling to the United States and/or being issued visas for travel purposes.
The expanded travel ban takes effect Thursday Jan. 1, 2026, at 12:01 am EST.
Full Travel Ban
The expanded ban will fully suspend entry to the United States, in both immigrant and all nonimmigrant classifications, for foreign nationals from the following countries:
- 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
*New to List
** Shift from partial to full travel ban
Partial Travel Ban
The ban suspends entry to the United States for immigrant visa holders, as well as B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visa holders, and reduces the validity of other nonimmigrant visas for nationals of the following countries:
- Angola*
- Antigua and Barbuda*
- Benin*
- Burundi
- Côte d’Ivoire*
- Cuba
- Dominica*
- Gabon*
- Gambia*
- Malawi*
- Mauritania*
- Nigeria*
- Senegal*
- Tanzania*
- Togo
- Tonga*
- Turkmenistan
- Venezuela
- Zambia*
- Zimbabwe*
*New to List
Possible Future Suspension
Egypt: the prior version of the proclamation from June 2025 asks the Attorney General, Department of Homeland Security Secretary and Director of National Intelligence to review conditions in Egypt due to recent circumstances.
The language of the proclamation states that it only applies to individuals outside the United States on Jan. 1, 2026, at 12:01am EST and who are not in possession of a valid immigrant or nonimmigrant visa as of that date. No immigrant or nonimmigrant visa issued before Jan 1, 2026, will be revoked pursuant to this proclamation.
Details of the Proclamation
Though styled as an entry ban under INA 212(f), the proclamation will likely affect both immigrant and nonimmigrant visa applicants (i.e., consular posts may cancel existing appointments and prevent future appointment scheduling for the restricted nationalities or categories). Although the proclamation indicates that it does not apply to anyone inside the United States and/or in possession of a valid visa as of Jan. 1, 2026, there could be impact on those who already have an immigrant or nonimmigrant visa and seek entry after the ban takes effect. As a result, all individuals from the affected countries should carefully consider any international travel while the ban is in effect and consult with immigration counsel to discuss the potential risks involved.
Like the previous proclamation, this proclamation does not impact the ability of individuals who are in the United States to seek changes of status to another nonimmigrant classification, adjustment to permanent resident status, or any other immigration benefit for which they are otherwise eligible. The scope of the proclamation is limited to the issuance of immigrant/nonimmigrant visas at U.S. consular posts, and travel to the United States for certain foreign nationals who are abroad on or after Jan. 1, 2026. However, in related action, USCIS has announced a pause on processing all immigration benefits for citizens of the countries named in the initial, June 2025 travel ban. At this time, it is not yet clear if this “pause” on USCIS adjudications will also expand to correspond to all countries now included in the Jan. 1, 2026, expanded travel ban.
The proclamation has carved out exceptions for the following, who are not covered/not impacted:
- Lawful Permanent Residents;
- Dual nationals of a non-listed country (as long as the unaffected passport is presented);
- Those with the following visas: A-1, A-2, C-2, C-3, G-1, G-2, G-3, G-4, NATO-1, NATO-2, NATO-3, NATO-4, NATO-5, or NATO-6;
- Athletes and coaches participating in the World Cup, Olympics or other major sporting event;
- Special Immigrant Visas for U.S. government employees; and
- Immigrant visas for ethnic and religious minorities facing persecution in Iran.
The proclamation also leaves open the possibility for case-by-case “national interest” exceptions to the travel ban. The Attorney General and Secretary of State can make case-by-case exceptions if travel would advance a critical U.S. national interest, including to participate in criminal proceedings as a witness. As with prior bans, these exceptions may be made by a designee (presumably consular staff) and likely provided in very limited circumstances. The precise criteria and procedures governing these exceptions remain ambiguous, leaving the scope and consistency of their implementation open to interpretation.
Travel Ban will be Periodically Evaluated
Within 180 days of the proclamation and every 180 days thereafter, the Attorney General, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of State and the Director of National Intelligence are directed to submit a report recommending the continuation, termination, modification or supplementation of the suspensions, and thus these restrictions will be periodically re-evaluated. This will therefore be an ongoing and developing situation, and the Harris Beach Murtha Immigration Practice Group will closely monitor these developments to provide further updates.
If you have questions or concerns about how this proclamation may impact you or your employees, please contact Marissa Rosenberg at (617) 457-4024 and mrosenberg@harrisbeachmurtha.com or another member of the Harris Beach Murtha Immigration Practice Group. Our Immigration Practice Group includes immigration attorneys who represent clients throughout the United States and abroad. Our lawyers focus on strategies – including immigrant visas for permanent U.S. resident status and temporary visas for foreign nationals – to ensure companies are able to hire, transfer, and retain the brightest and best non-U.S. talent.
This alert does not purport to be a substitute for advice of counsel on specific matters.
Harris Beach Murtha’s lawyers and consultants practice from offices throughout Connecticut in Bantam, Hartford, New Haven and Stamford; New York state in Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, Ithaca, New York City, Niagara Falls, Rochester, Saratoga Springs, Syracuse, Long Island and White Plains, as well as in Boston, Massachusetts, and Newark, New Jersey.
