New Restrictions Announced
The White House has confirmed that President Donald Trump has imposed new travel restrictions on citizens from five additional countries, as well as individuals holding travel documents issued by the Palestinian Authority. The measures, aimed at “protecting U.S. national security,” will take effect from January 1.
Countries Facing Complete Ban
Under the expanded order, citizens of Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, and Syria, along with holders of Palestinian Authority passports, will face a complete entry ban into the United States.
The Trump administration also moved Laos and Sierra Leone from partial restrictions to a full ban.
The updated list of countries under a total ban now includes:
Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Burma, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Mali, Niger, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Yemen, and Palestinian Authority passport holders.
Partial Restrictions
In addition, Nigeria, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, and 15 other countries remain under partial restrictions, which limit certain visa categories. These include Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Senegal, Togo, Tonga, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Special Case: Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan remains a special case: restrictions continue for migrants, but non‑migrant visa applicants are exempt.
Reasoning Behind Expansion
President Trump stated that failures in overseas screening and vetting systems necessitated the expansion of travel bans. The administration argues that the measures are essential to safeguard U.S. borders and prevent potential security threats.