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Two separate restrictions.
Since taking office in January 2025, the Trump administration has issued two distinct rounds of immigration restrictions that affect nationals of dozens of countries. They operate through different legal mechanisms, cover different countries, and restrict different categories of travel and immigration.
The 39-country proclamation ban (effective January 1, 2026) restricts entry of both immigrants and nonimmigrants from 19 countries outright, and blocks immigrant visa issuance for 20 more. The 75-country visa freeze (effective January 21, 2026) was a separate State Department action that paused immigrant visa issuance for a different, overlapping set of countries on "public charge" grounds. A federal court vacated it on August 21, 2026, and a worldwide pause on immigrant visa interviews followed on August 25. Of the three, only the proclamation still restricts visas by nationality, while the interview pause slows immigrant visas for applicants from every country.
39-Country Proclamation Ban
Two tiers of restriction.
Presidential Proclamation PP10998 (December 16, 2025), building on the June 2025 proclamation, divides affected countries into two categories with materially different consequences for visa applicants.
Full ban — 19 countries
All visas suspended
Both immigrant and nonimmigrant visa issuance is suspended. Nationals outside the US without a valid pre-January 1, 2026 visa cannot obtain any US travel document.
✕Immigrant visas (green cards)
✕Nonimmigrant visas (work, tourist, student)
✕Visa issuance at consulates
✓Valid pre-2026 visas honored
✓LPRs (green card holders) exempt
Partial ban — 20 countries
Immigrant visas only
Only immigrant visa issuance is suspended. Nonimmigrant visas — including work visas (H-1B, O-1, L-1), tourist, and student visas — remain available.
✕Immigrant visas (green cards)
✓H-1B, O-1, L-1 work visas
✓Tourist & student visas
✓Valid pre-2026 visas honored
✓LPRs (green card holders) exempt
Full ban — 19 countries (all visa categories suspended)
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
YemenPartial ban — 20 countries (immigrant visas only; work & travel visas still available)
Angola
Antigua & Barbuda
Benin
Burundi
Côte d'Ivoire
Cuba
Dominica
Gabon
The Gambia
Malawi
Mauritania
Nigeria
Senegal
Tanzania
Togo
Tonga
Turkmenistan
Venezuela
Zambia
ZimbabweSeparate Action
The 75-country freeze and the interview pause.
On January 21, 2026, three weeks after the proclamation ban took effect, the State Department paused immigrant visa issuance for nationals of 75 countries on public charge grounds. It was a distinct policy with a different legal basis, different countries, and different scope. A court vacated it in August, and four days later a broader pause on immigrant visa interviews took its place in practice.
State Dept. 75-country immigrant visa pause
Vacated Aug 21, 2026What it did: Suspended immigrant visa issuance for passport holders of 75 listed countries, on the theory that applicants from those countries were likely to rely on public benefits. Nonimmigrant visas were never covered.
The ruling: In CLINIC v. Rubio (S.D.N.Y.), Judge Jeannette A. Vargas held that the policy violated the INA's bar on nationality-based discrimination in immigrant visa issuance, skipped the individualized review the statute requires, and exceeded the Secretary of State's authority. She vacated it on August 21, 2026, and the State Department's own notice confirms the pause is no longer in effect.
Still open: The government filed a notice of appeal on September 10, 2026. The judgment stays in force unless a court stays it. Applicants refused solely under the vacated policy are entitled to individualized reconsideration, not an automatic visa.
The worldwide interview pause
On August 25, 2026, the State Department confirmed that it had paused immigrant visa interviews at embassies and consulates worldwide so officers can train on new public charge screening guidance. Applicants with booked interviews are getting cancellation notices, and no resume date has been announced. The pause applies to every nationality, not just the 75 countries. It does not reach nonimmigrant visas, and it does not reach USCIS, which keeps adjudicating adjustment of status inside the US. Our analysis of the interview pause covers who should switch to adjustment.
| Category | Proclamation ban (39 countries) | 75-country pause | Interview pause (all countries) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Status | In force | Vacated Aug 21, 2026 (on appeal) | In effect since Aug 25, 2026 |
| Legal basis | Presidential proclamation | State Dept. directive | State Dept. operational pause |
| Rationale | National security | Public charge risk | Public charge retraining |
| Immigrant visas | Blocked (full & partial ban countries) | Individualized review restored | Interviews canceled, no resume date |
| Nonimmigrant visas | Blocked (full ban) / Available (partial) | Never affected | Not affected |
| In-country adjustment | Not directly affected | Not affected | Not affected; USCIS still adjudicating |
| Prior valid visas | Honored, not revoked | Not affected | Not affected |
Who Is Not Affected
Exemptions & exceptions.
The proclamation ban applies only to foreign nationals who were outside the United States on January 1, 2026 and did not hold a valid visa on that date. Several categories are expressly exempt.
01
Lawful permanent residents
Green card holders from any of the 39 countries may continue to travel to and from the US. Nationals of full-ban countries may face enhanced screening and additional biometric checks at the border upon reentry.
02
Valid prior visa holders
Nationals holding a US visa issued before January 1, 2026, at 12:01 a.m. EST may continue to use that visa. The proclamation expressly states that no pre-existing visas are revoked by its terms.
03
Dual nationals
Nationals of a restricted country who also hold citizenship of a non-restricted country are exempt if they travel on their non-restricted passport. Dual nationals should confirm their travel document carries no restricted country indicators.
04
Special immigrant visa holders
Special immigrant visas (SIVs) for certain US government employees and their families are exempt. So are immigrant visas for ethnic and religious minorities facing persecution in Iran under existing special programs.
05
Certain diplomats & officials
Holders of A, G, and NATO visa categories — diplomats and government officials traveling in official capacity — are not subject to the proclamation's entry restrictions.
06
National interest waivers
Case-by-case exceptions may be granted where the Attorney General, Secretary of State, or Secretary of Homeland Security determines that the person's entry serves a compelling US national interest. No standard form or procedure exists — these are fully discretionary.
If You Are Affected
Waivers & next steps.
There is no standalone waiver application. If you believe you may qualify for a national interest exception, you must request consideration at the time of your visa interview — the consular officer forwards the request to the relevant authority. Approval rates and timelines are not publicly reported.
If you are from a full-ban country and need to be in the United States, your options depend heavily on whether you hold a valid pre-2026 visa or LPR status. If you are from a partial-ban country, immigrant visa pathways are blocked but work visa options (H-1B, O-1, L-1) remain open — making the strategic choice of immigration pathway more important than ever.
For individuals from both tiers, the path forward often involves accelerating pending USCIS filings, pursuing adjustment of status if already in the US, or building an O-1A/EB-1A record that can sustain a national interest argument. Consular processing timelines for affected nationalities are effectively indefinite under current policy, and the worldwide interview pause now puts every immigrant visa applicant abroad in the same holding pattern.
FAQ
Common questions.
No. The 19 full-ban countries have all nonimmigrant visa issuance suspended — meaning new H-1B, O-1, L-1, B-1/B-2, F-1, and other visa stamps cannot currently be issued at consulates for nationals of those countries who lack a prior valid visa. If you are already in the US in valid status, you may be able to extend or change status through USCIS without a consular interview — this path is unaffected by the proclamation. The ban applies to consular visa issuance, not to USCIS petitions for in-country applicants.
Immigrant visa issuance (the consular step in the green card process) is suspended for nationals of all 20 partial-ban countries. However, if you are already in the United States in valid nonimmigrant status, you may still pursue adjustment of status before USCIS — this is a separate track from consular processing and is not blocked by the proclamation ban. Additionally, work visas (H-1B, O-1, L-1) remain available, so maintaining lawful nonimmigrant status while pursuing adjustment is a viable strategy.
The proclamation targets consular visa issuance — it does not directly affect USCIS adjudications of petitions or applications filed by people already in the US. If you are in the US on an H-1B, O-1, or L-1 and your employer files an extension, that USCIS process continues normally. The risk arises if you travel outside the US: nationals of full-ban countries without a valid visa may be unable to obtain a new visa stamp to return. Travel outside the US should be evaluated carefully with counsel before departure.
No. The 75-country freeze was a separate State Department policy, justified on public charge grounds, that paused immigrant visa issuance for a distinct list of countries starting January 21, 2026. A federal court in New York vacated it on August 21, 2026 in CLINIC v. Rubio, and the State Department confirms it is no longer in effect. The government appealed on September 10. Immigrant visa applicants are not moving yet, though: on August 25 the State Department paused immigrant visa interviews at every consulate worldwide while officers train on new public charge guidance, with no resume date announced. Nonimmigrant visas and adjustment of status inside the US are not affected by either measure.
Yes. The proclamation expressly preserves pre-existing visas — it does not revoke any visa that was validly issued before 12:01 a.m. EST on January 1, 2026. You may continue to travel to the United States on a valid pre-existing visa for as long as it remains unexpired and your status is otherwise maintained. When your visa expires, however, you will not be able to obtain a new one at a consulate if your country is subject to the full or partial ban, until policy changes.
Case-by-case waivers are available but rare, fully discretionary, and not subject to formal procedural requirements. There is no separate application — you request consideration during the visa interview. Waivers may be granted by the Attorney General, Secretary of State, or Secretary of Homeland Security when the applicant can demonstrate that their entry serves a compelling US national interest. Factors that may support a waiver include: critical employment at a US company, significant economic contribution, family unification in extreme hardship cases, and prior US government service. An immigration attorney can help you build the strongest possible waiver record.