On December 16, 2025, the White House issued a new Presidential Proclamation, “Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States.” This order expands the travel restrictions originally established on June 9, 2025 (Proclamation 10949).
The new restrictions take effect at 12:01 a.m. EST on January 1, 2026.
The expansion adds several new countries to the restricted lists and moves two countries (Laos and Sierra Leone) from the “Partial” list to the “Full” ban list.
Updated Restricted Country Lists (Effective January 1, 2026)
1. Full Ban (Entry Suspended for Immigrants and Nonimmigrants)
Entry is suspended for all immigrants and nonimmigrants (including J-1 exchange visitors and H-1B workers) from the following 19 countries and territory:
- Current List: Afghanistan, Burma (Myanmar), Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
- New Countries Added: Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, and Syria.
- Moved from Partial to Full: Laos and Sierra Leone.
- New Territory Added: Individuals traveling on documents issued or endorsed by the Palestinian Authority.
2. Partial Ban (Restrictions on B, F, M, and J Visas)
Entry is suspended for all immigrants and for nonimmigrants seeking B-1, B-2, F, M, and J visas from the following 19 countries:
- Current List: Burundi, Cuba, Togo, and Venezuela.
- New Countries Added: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
- Note on Turkmenistan: The ban on nonimmigrant visas (B, F, M, J) has been lifted for Turkmenistan. However, entry as an immigrant remains suspended.
Exceptions to the Proclamation
You are generally not affected by these new restrictions if you are:
- Inside the U.S. or hold a valid visa: The ban applies to nationals of the listed countries who are outside the U.S. and do not have a valid visa as of January 1, 2026.
Important Note on Visa Validity: While the Proclamation suspends the entry of certain nationals, Section 8(c) explicitly states that visas issued before January 1, 2026, will not be revoked by this order. However, travelers from affected countries should expect significantly enhanced screening by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at ports of entry. FSIS continues to recommend that individuals from these 39 countries avoid international travel, as the “validity” of a visa does not guarantee re-entry under these heightened security measures.
- Lawful Permanent Residents: U.S. Green Card holders.
- Dual Nationals: If you are traveling on a passport from a country that is not on the restricted list.
- Specific Visa Classes: Diplomatic visas (A, G, NATO), asylees, and refugees already admitted.
- Event Participants: Athletes and staff for the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics.
Important: This new proclamation removes several broad family-based exceptions that were available under the June 2025 order.
View Master List of Restricted Countries (Effective Jan 1, 2026)
Country/Territory Restriction Level Afghanistan Full Ban Angola Partial Ban (B, F, M, J) Antigua and Barbuda Partial Ban (B, F, M, J) Benin Partial Ban (B, F, M, J) Burkina Faso Full Ban Burma (Myanmar) Full Ban Burundi Partial Ban (B, F, M, J) Chad Full Ban Congo, Republic of the Full Ban Cote d’Ivoire Partial Ban (B, F, M, J) Cuba Partial Ban (B, F, M, J) Dominica Partial Ban (B, F, M, J) Equatorial Guinea Full Ban Eritrea Full Ban Gabon Partial Ban (B, F, M, J) Gambia, The Partial Ban (B, F, M, J) Haiti Full Ban Iran Full Ban Laos Full Ban Libya Full Ban Malawi Partial Ban (B, F, M, J) Mali Full Ban Mauritania Partial Ban (B, F, M, J) Niger Full Ban Nigeria Partial Ban (B, F, M, J) Palestinian Authority Docs Full Ban Senegal Partial Ban (B, F, M, J) Sierra Leone Full Ban Somalia Full Ban South Sudan Full Ban Sudan Full Ban Syria Full Ban Tanzania Partial Ban (B, F, M, J) Togo Partial Ban (B, F, M, J) Tonga Partial Ban (B, F, M, J) Turkmenistan Immigrant Ban Only (F/J Allowed) Venezuela Partial Ban (B, F, M, J) Yemen Full Ban Zambia Partial Ban (B, F, M, J) Zimbabwe Partial Ban (B, F, M, J)
What This Means for the UH Community
If you are a foreign national from one of the listed countries, these expansion measures may directly affect your ability to enter the United States.
FSIS recommends:
- Consult FSIS: Email fsis@hawaii.edu before finalized any international travel plans.
- Travel with Caution: If you are already in the U.S. in valid status, you may remain. However, if you depart, you may face significant challenges obtaining a new visa or re-entering after January 1.
- Official Resources: For further details, please see the White House Fact Sheet.