A bold warning at the start: the United States is expanding and revising its travel ban, with strict visa restrictions now set to take effect on January 1, 2026. And this is the part most people miss: the scope and exceptions are changing in meaningful ways that will touch many travelers, students, workers, and families around the world.
Overview
President Trump has issued a presidential proclamation that broadens and updates the June travel ban. The new order imposes visa restrictions on nationals from a larger group of countries and adjusts ongoing restrictions for others. The effective date remains 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on January 1, 2026.
What changes
Immigrant and nonimmigrant visa issuance is now suspended for 19 countries—an expansion from the 12 countries that faced a full suspension under the June ban. In addition, those traveling on Palestinian Authority-issued travel documents will be blocked. For another 19 countries, immigrant visas are suspended, and only certain nonimmigrant visas (B, F, M, and J) are restricted. Turkmenistan is treated differently: immigrant visas remain suspended, but all nonimmigrant visa categories are restricted only for that country.
Exceptions and limitations
There are several exceptions, but the new proclamation removes some allowances that existed under the June ban. Notably, there are no longer automatic exceptions for immediate relatives or for adoption-related immigrant visas. As with the June ban, visas already issued before the effective date are not revoked, though they may face heightened entry screening.
Full vs. partial restrictions
The proclamation adds seven countries to the list of those facing full restrictions (immigrant and nonimmigrant visas). The original full-restriction group from the June order remains: Afghanistan, Burma (Myanmar), Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. The new full-restriction roster includes: Burkina Faso, Laos, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, and Syria.
For 19 other countries, immigrant visas are suspended entirely, and nonimmigrant visas in the B, F, M, and J categories are restricted to temporary visitors, students, and exchange participants. These nations include Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi (already partially restricted from the June order), Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba (also partially restricted from June), Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo (partially restricted from June), Tonga, Venezuela (partially restricted from June), Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Operational changes
Consular officers are instructed to shorten the validity of visas issued to nationals of the affected countries in non-suspended nonimmigrant categories (such as H-1B or L-1). The State Department has already set many of these visas to a maximum of three months with a single-entry provision, and other countries are likely to follow.
Turkmenistan stands out as the only country where some restrictions are lifted: while immigrant visas remain suspended, nationals may still obtain nonimmigrant visas in any category, including B, F, M, or J. However, immigrant visa issuance for Turkmen nationals continues to be suspended unless an exception applies.
Who is covered and when
The revised ban applies to nationals of the listed countries who are outside the United States and do not hold a valid visa as of January 1, 2026. Individuals already holding valid visas can still use them, but they may face enhanced screening at the border, and there could be ambiguity about exemptions for those with visas valid on January 1.
The proclamation also lays out several exemptions, though they are far fewer than in the June order. Exemptions include:
- Foreign nationals already in the United States on January 1, 2026
- People with a valid visa in any category as of January 1, 2026
- U.S. lawful permanent residents (green card holders)
- Dual nationals traveling on a passport from a non-designated country
- Athletes and related staff traveling for major events, plus immediate relatives, as determined by the Secretary of State
- Certain diplomats and international officials traveling on specific visa classifications (A-1, A-2, C-2, C-3, G-1 to G-4, NATO licenses, etc.)
- Special Immigrant Visas for certain U.S. government employees
- Immigrant visa applicants who are ethnic or religious minorities facing persecution in Iran
- Any travel deemed to advance a critical U.S. national interest by appropriate officials
- Other travel deemed to serve a national interest, as determined by designated officials
National-interest exceptions are expected to be very rare.
As with the June ban, asylum seekers and refugees already admitted to the United States are not covered by the new restrictions. The order does not prevent them from seeking relief or protection under the Convention Against Torture (CAT).
Practical considerations and next steps
Compared to the June order, this proclamation narrows several practical exemptions. It explicitly eliminates exceptions for Immediate Relative immigrant visa seekers and for adoption-related immigrant visas (IR-3, IR-4, IH-3, IH-4) and Afghan Special Immigrant Visas. Whether Afghan nationals will be able to access other listed exemptions remains unclear, even as some related guidance suggests a pause on certain Afghan passport holders’ visa processing.
The government will periodically review the list of restricted countries—every 180 days, with reports from the Secretary of State and other agencies to the President outlining recommendations on whether to continue, modify, suspend, or add to the restrictions.
What this means for travelers and applicants
Nationals from the designated countries should consult with a qualified immigration professional to determine their status under the new rules. Those newly affected who are not covered by the June ban may consider returning to the United States before January 1, 2026, if possible. Applicants who are in or from newly restricted countries should be aware that USCIS has paused processing of many pending immigration benefit applications, including those for individuals born in travel-ban countries.
Ongoing guidance
Fragomen and other immigration specialists will continue to monitor updates as more details emerge and will share guidance as situations evolve.
Note
This summary is for information purposes only. For questions or tailored advice, contact your immigration professional.
