Individuals who are subject to the updated full or partial travel bans MUST RETURN TO THE U.S. BEFORE MIDNIGHT EST on January 1, 2026, and avoid departing the U.S. for any reason.
On December 16, 2025, President Trump issued a Presidential Proclamation (the “new ban”) adding several countries to the full and partial travel bans that were announced on June 4, 2025. The new ban goes into effect on January 1, 2026 at midnight EST.
Full Travel Ban: Foreign nationals from the following countries who are outside the U.S. without a valid visa stamp on January 1, 2026 will not be able to enter the U.S. regardless of their visa category. The countries added by the new ban are underlined.
- Afghanistan
- Burma (Myanmar)
- Chad
- Republic of the Congo
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Haiti
- Iran
- Libya
- Somalia
- Sudan
- Yemen
- Burkina Faso
- Laos
- Mali
- Niger
- Sierra Leone
- South Sudan
- Syria
- Palestinian Authority
Partial Travel Ban: Foreign nationals from the following countries who are outside the U.S. without a valid visa stamp on January 1, 2026 and are seeking to enter on a visitor visa (B-1 or B-2), student visa (F, J, or M), or immigrant visa will not be able to enter the U.S. The countries added by the new ban are underlined.
- Burundi
- Cuba
- Togo
- Venezuela
- Angola
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Benin
- Cote d ‘Ivoire
- Dominica
- Gabon
- The Gambia
- Malawi
- Mauritania
- Nigeria
- Senegal
- Tanzania
- Turkmenistan*
- Tonga
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
*Note: Nationals of Turkmenistan are no longer subject to the partial travel ban affecting certain nonimmigrant visas, but they still cannot enter the U.S. on immigrant visas.
The new ban does NOT apply to:
- Lawful Permanent Residents of the U.S. (i.e., Green Card holders).
- Dual citizens who are traveling with a passport issued by a non-restricted country.
- Foreign nationals seeking to enter as a diplomat or other government official (A visas), employee of an international organization (G visas), or NATO official or employee (NATO visas).
- Those traveling for participation in the World Cup, Olympics, or other designated major sporting events, and their immediate relatives.
- Special Immigrant Visas for U.S. Government employees.
- Immigrant visas for ethnic and religious minorities facing persecution in Iran.
- The Proclamation provides an individualized exception allowing admission of foreign nationals from the excluded countries on account of national interest, as determined by the Attorney General, Secretary of State, or Secretary of Homeland Security.
The following categorial exceptions that were created by the June 4th Proclamation no longer exist under the new ban effective December 16, 2025:
- Immigrant visas for family members in the U.S.
- Adopted individuals with visas to join their adoptive family in the U.S. (IR-3, IR-4, IH-3, IH-4)
- Afghan Special Immigrant Visas
Employers should create a clear return plan for any foreign national employees currently abroad from one of the affected countries. Please contact a member of the Immigration team if you have any questions about how this expanded ban impacts your workforce or recruiting strategies.
Additional Information:
Visit HSE’s Trump Administration Immigration Updates resource page for additional insights and resources.