Travel Ban Country Guide — US Entry Restrictions 2026

Overview

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) is a separate State Department action pausing immigrant visa processing at consulates for a different set of countries, based on "public charge" screening concerns. The two lists overlap but are not identical.

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

Yemen

Partial 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

Zimbabwe

Separate Action

The 75-country visa freeze.

On January 21, 2026 — three weeks after the proclamation ban took effect — the State Department issued a separate directive indefinitely pausing immigrant visa processing at US consulates for nationals of 75 countries. This is a distinct policy with a different legal basis, different countries, and different scope.

State Dept. immigrant visa freeze

Under legal challenge

Rationale stated: "Public charge" risk screening — applicants from these countries deemed likely to become dependent on government assistance.

What it pauses: Immigrant visa interviews and processing at US consulates abroad. Does not affect nonimmigrant visa categories, including H-1B, O-1, L-1, tourist, or student visas.

Duration: Indefinite. The State Department has not specified a timeline for lifting the freeze.

Legal status: A coalition of civil rights organizations filed suit in February 2026 arguing the freeze "eviscerated decades of settled immigration law." Litigation is ongoing.

Category	Proclamation ban (39 countries)	Visa freeze (75 countries)
Legal basis	Presidential proclamation	State Dept. directive
Rationale	National security	Public charge risk
Immigrant visas	Blocked (full & partial ban countries)	Processing frozen
Nonimmigrant visas	Blocked (full ban) / Available (partial)	Not affected
In-country adjustment	Not directly affected	Not directly affected
LPR travel	Exempt (may face screening)	Not addressed
Prior valid visas	Honored, not revoked	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.

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.

The 75-country visa freeze is a separate State Department action that indefinitely paused immigrant visa processing at US consulates for a distinct list of countries. Unlike the proclamation ban (which is based on national security under the president's authority), the freeze was justified on "public charge" grounds — the State Department's concern that applicants from these countries were likely to require government assistance. The freeze only affects immigrant visas; tourist, work, and student visas continue to be processed. The freeze is currently under legal challenge and may be modified or enjoined by court order.

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.

US travel ban —country restrictions.