- The Travel Ban, affecting 19 countries in different capacities as described further below, follows the administration's Jan. 20 executive order and directive to identify countries with deficient screening and vetting for national security risks.
- The Travel Ban is expected to affect issuance of new visas for foreign nationals outside the U.S. hailing from the impacted countries and does not apply to people in the U.S. who have valid visas.
- Employers are advised to review all planned international travel for their international workforce and plan accordingly for delays and potential issues arising under stricter standards.
The United States has announced a travel ban for citizens of 12 countries including Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen set to take effect on Monday, June 9, at 12:01 a.m. In addition, partial travel restrictions will take effect for individuals from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela. The full travel restrictions prohibit travel under any immigrant or nonimmigrant visa category, and the partial travel restrictions affect visa holders for specific visas.
Exceptions will be provided to lawful permanent residents, dual nationals traveling on an alternative passport, athletes and personnel traveling for major sporting events, Afghan Special Immigrant Visas, and select other individuals.
Earlier this year, the Department of State, with support from the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security, followed a directive to identify countries in which vetting and screening for purposes of visa issuance and ultimate admission is inadequate. With the final report presented on April 9, 2025, the White House has since reached a decision regarding travel limitations for nationals of select countries, dividing the restrictions into two categories: partial and full.
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Full Travel Restriction "Ban" The entry of the nationals of these countries will be fully restricted and limited for all immigrant and nonimmigrant visa holders. |
Partial Travel Restriction "Limitation" The entry of the nationals of these countries shall only be partially restricted and limited. |
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Afghanistan: All immigrants and nonimmigrants Chad: All immigrants and nonimmigrants Equatorial Guinea: All immigrants and nonimmigrants Eritrea: All immigrants and nonimmigrants Haiti: All immigrants and nonimmigrants Iran: All immigrants and nonimmigrants Libya: All immigrants and nonimmigrants Myanmar*: All immigrants and nonimmigrants Republic of Congo: All immigrants and nonimmigrants Somalia: All immigrants and nonimmigrants Sudan: All immigrants and nonimmigrants Yemen: All immigrants and nonimmigrants |
Burundi: All immigrants, and nonimmigrants on B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas Cuba: All immigrants, and nonimmigrants on B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas Laos: All immigrants, and nonimmigrants on B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas Sierra Leone: All immigrants, and nonimmigrants on B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas Togo: All immigrants, and nonimmigrants on B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas Turkmenistan: All immigrants, and nonimmigrants on B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas Venezuela: All immigrants, and nonimmigrants on B-1, B-2, B-1/ B-2, F, M, and J visa |
*The White House referred to Myanmar as Burma in the proclamation.
Providing additional limitations to travel and entry into the United States, the proclamation included a directive to consular officers to "reduce the validity for any other nonimmigrant visa issued to nationals of [each specified country] to the extent permitted by law."
The U.S. government has previously implemented travel restrictions. For example, multiple travel bans were issued in the last decade, most of which included a notice period of approximately 24 hours. This one will provide a greater notice period for travelers, but if history may serve as a guide, the ban will likely face legal challenges. Barnes & Thornburg LLP encourages employers to consult with legal counsel and, to the extent necessary, caution select foreign national employees against international travel.
Co-Author / Contributor: Tieranny Cutler, independent contract attorney
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
