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TRUMP ANNOUNCES EXPANSION OF TRAVEL BAN; LIFTS NON-IMMIGRANT [TEMPORARY VISAS] BAN ON TURKMENISTAN FOR COOPERATION

On December 16, 2025, President Trump issued a new presidential proclamation significantly expanding and reshaping existing travel bans, affecting both immigrant [permanent residence] and nonimmigrant [temporary] visa applicants from dozens of countries worldwide.

These changes affect families, students, workers, and employers, and take effect immediately. The proclamation also includes important updates, such as newly added countries, stricter exceptions, and a significant change for Turkmenistan, making it essential for visa applicants to understand how the new rules may affect their ability to enter the United States.

The White House released a fact sheet found at White House Releases Fact Sheet on Expansion of Travel Restrictions to Additional Countries

As of the December 16, 2025 proclamation, the U.S. expanded and strengthened entry bans and visa restrictions on foreign nationals from multiple countries—applying to both immigrant visas (green cards) and nonimmigrant visas (temporary travel such as tourist, business, student, work).  

🌍 Updated List of Countries with Full Restrictions

  1. Nationals of these countries are fully restricted from entering the U.S.—for both immigrant and nonimmigrant visas—with limited exceptions (e.g., lawful permanent residents, certain diplomatic/athlete categories):
    Afghanistan
  2. Burma (Myanmar)
  3. Burkina Faso
  4. Chad
  5. Republic of the Congo
  6. Equatorial Guinea
  7. Eritrea
  8. Haiti
  9. Iran
  10. Libya
  11. Mali
  12. Niger
  13. South Sudan
  14. Somalia
  15. Sudan
  16. Syria
  17. Yemen
  18. Individuals holding Palestinian Authority-issued travel documents are also fully restricted.

🌍 Updated List of Countries with Partial Restrictions

  1. Nationals from these countries face partial restrictions, meaning some visa categories (especially immigrant visas and many nonimmigrant visas) remain suspended:
    Angola
  2. Antigua and Barbuda
  3. Benin
  4. Côte d’Ivoire
  5. Dominica
  6. Gabon
  7. The Gambia
  8. Malawi
  9. Mauritania
  10. Nigeria
  11. Senegal
  12. Tanzania
  13. Togo
  14. Tonga
  15. Zambia
  16. Zimbabwe
  17. Burundi
  18. Cuba
  19. Venezuela
  20. Togo…

and others previously partially restricted remain subject to limitations.  

WHAT’S NEW IN THE TRAVEL BANS (DECEMBER 16 2025)

This proclamation updates and expands the 2025 visa restrictions in several key ways:

➤ Expansion of Full Bans

• Adds Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, and Syria to the list of fully restricted countries.
• Upgrades Laos and Sierra Leone from partial to full restrictions.
• Includes Palestinian Authority travel document holders in the full ban category for the first time.  

➤ Expanded Partial Bans

• Adds 15 additional countries to the partial restriction category (e.g., Angola, Malawi, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, etc.).
• Continues partial restrictions on previously listed countries such as Burundi, Cuba, Togo, and Venezuela.  

➤ Exceptions

The proclamation preserves exceptions for:
• Lawful permanent residents (green card holders).
• Existing valid visa holders at the time of issuance.
• Diplomats, official representatives, and certain high-priority visa categories.
• Athletes and team members participating in major international events.  

➤ Family-Based Immigrant Waiver Changes

The proclamation narrows broad family-based immigrant visa exceptions due to fraud concerns, while still allowing case-by-case waivers. (Aila)

TURKMENISTAN — WHAT’S CHANGED

Turkmenistan’s status changed significantly under the December 16 update:

✔ Previously, Turkmen nationals were under partial travel restrictions affecting both immigrant and nonimmigrant visa issuance.
✔ The new proclamation lifts the ban on nonimmigrant visas for Turkmenistan—so temporary travel (e.g., tourism, business, study) can resume.
✔ However, immigrant visa entry for Turkmen nationals remains suspended.  

The White House specifically notes progress in cooperation with the U.S. on identity management and information-sharing as the basis for this partial easing.  

SUMMARY — IMPACT ON VISAS

📌 Immigrant visas
Nationals of fully and partially restricted countries generally cannot receive immigrant visas (green cards) at this time, with limited exceptions and case-by-case waivers.

📌 Nonimmigrant visas
• Fully restricted countries: nonimmigrant visa issuance remains suspended.
• Partial list: many nonimmigrant visa categories remain suspended or limited.
• Turkmenistan: nonimmigrant visa ban has been lifted.

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