On December 16th, the U.S. government announced new travel restrictions that will affect the ability of citizens of certain countries to enter the U.S. This proclamation is an update to earlier travel restrictions announced on June 4, 2025.
The following restrictions go into effect on Thursday, January 1st, 2026 at 12:01am EDT.
Full Travel Ban (19 Countries)
The proclamation places a full travel ban for citizens from the following 19 countries who are prohibited from entering the U.S. under any visa category as of January 1, 2026:
- Afghanistan, Burma, Burkina Faso, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Mali, Niger, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Laos, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.
Partial Restrictions (19 Countries)
The proclamation places a partial travel ban for citizens from the following 19 countries who are prohibited from entering the U.S. under specific non-immigrant visa categories, including F and J visas, as of January 1, 2026:
- Burundi, Cuba, Togo, Venezuela, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
What this Means for Citizens of the Countries on the List
If you are currently in the U.S. and maintaining valid immigration status (for example, you hold an active I-20 or DS-2019 and are following the terms of your visa), the travel ban does not affect your ability to stay in the U.S. This includes individuals whose visa stamp may have expired, as long as your immigration status in the U.S. remains valid.
Exceptions
The ban provisions are applicable only to nationals of the subject country who are outside the U.S. without a valid visa as of January 1st, 2026. Individuals who are inside the United States on January 1st, 2026 or who are outside the United States on that date but have a visa that is valid as of January 1st, 2026 would likely not be covered by the ban. This interpretation is from a "plain language" reading of this provision in the proclamation and should not be construed as legal advice, which can only be obtained from licensed attorneys. Also, consider that both airlines and port of entry officials would have to share this interpretation.
If you are outside the U.S. and planning to return, this policy may impact your re-entry. Everyone has a different tolerance for risk, and each individual entering the U.S. must evaluate if there are other reasons that the re-entry could be delayed or denied. You may want to consider re-entering the U.S. before January 1st, 2026 at 12:01am EDT before the travel ban goes into effect. GW is closely monitoring these developments and will continue to keep our international community informed. We remain committed to supporting you as a valued part of the GW community.