The June travel ban declaration has been expanded and revised by President Trump’s presidential proclamation, which imposes visa restrictions on citizens of a new group of nations and maintains or modifies restrictions for countries that already have travel bans. On January 1, 2026, at 12:01 am ET, the new travel ban will take effect.
In addition to travelers using travel papers issued by the Palestinian Authority, the proclamation suspends the issuance of both immigrant and non-immigrant visas for a total of 19 countries. Nationals of any impacted nation may be eligible for a number of exclusions, but the June travel ban’s exceptions, such as those for direct relatives and immigrant visas tied to adoption, are eliminated by the current proclamation. Similar to the June travel ban, the new ban will not result in the revocation of any nonimmigrant or immigrant visas issued prior to the proclamation’s effective date.
Nations that are subject to complete limitations are Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen
Today’s proclamation adds the following seven countries to the total restriction list: Burkina Faso, Laos, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, and Syria
Nations that are partially restricted are Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Additionally, the proclamation instructs consular officials to shorten the validity of any non-suspended non-immigrant visas (such as H-1B or L-1) granted to citizens of the aforementioned nations. For many of the aforementioned nations, the State Department has already limited the validity of nonimmigrant visas to a maximum of three months and one entrance into the United States; other nations on the list are probably going to follow.
The only nation where certain limitations have been eased under the new travel ban is Turkmenistan. Although the June proclamation prohibited the issuance of both immigrant and nonimmigrant visas in the B, F, M, and J categories for the nation, the current proclamation permits Turkmenistan nationals to obtain any kind of nonimmigrant visa, including those in the B, F, M, or J categories. Turkmenistan nationals will not be able to obtain immigrant visas unless they qualify for an exemption from the travel restriction
Luke Bowman Law will continue to monitor and update the situation. If you have questions regarding your specific situation, feel free to contact us or book an appointment here
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Sincerely,
Luke Bowman
The Law offices of Luke Bowman