U.S. expands travel ban under its immigration policy: These are the new countries facing entry restrictions

On December 16, 2025, a White House proclamation was issued which shared a list of countries which are further banned from entering the U.S. In a recent update, the American government has officially expanded the travel ban under its American immigration policy. The foreign nationals from several countries are now banned from entering the U.S. It was done under the pretext of national security concerns and challenges in vetting and information sharing.


These actions are majorly impacting international travel and tourism, particularly for those from nations now facing full or partial bans on travel to the United States. As per the official proclamation released by the White House, the U.S. government is continuing its policy to:

“fully restrict and limit the entry of nationals of certain countries… and to partially restrict and limit the entry of nationals of additional countries” because of deficiencies in identity management, vetting, and threat information sharing protocols that are considered vital for U.S. security by federal authorities. (official The White House)




Understanding full and partial restrictions/bans

It is divided under two categories:



Full Entry Ban Countries

There is a complete or full ban on following countries’ nationals from entering the United States:

Afghanistan

Burma (Myanmar)

Chad

Republic of the Congo

Equatorial Guinea

Eritrea

Haiti

Iran

Libya

Somalia

Sudan

Yemen

Burkina Faso

Laos

Mali

Niger

Sierra Leone

South Sudan

Syria

The ban is applicable on tourists, students, business visitors, and temporary workers.



Partial Restrictions

Several countries’ nationals are facing partial restrictions. These restrictions do not outright prohibit entry but limit certain types of visas, subject travelers to enhanced screenings, shorter validity periods on new visas. The countries are:

Burundi

Cuba

Togo

Venezuela

Angola

Antigua & Barbuda

Benin

Côte d’Ivoire

Dominica

Gabon

The Gambia

Malawi

Mauritania

Nigeria

Senegal

Tanzania

Tonga

Zambia

Zimbabwe

Foreign nationals who are already inside the United States when the restrictions take effect generally may not be subject to immediate removal under the travel ban.

Impact on travel and tourism

The recent ban will see an impact on travel and tourism industries. Airlines, tour operators, and hospitality firms dealing with outbound travel to the United States must now navigate complex visa and entry requirement changes.