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On 16 December 2025, US President Donald Trump signed a proclamation expanding the list of countries with full or partial travel restrictions to the USA from 19 to 39 countries as well as to individuals traveling on travel documents issued by the Palestinian Authority. The ban either fully or partially bars visa issuance for the nationals of these countries and will be in effect from 1 January 2026.
The proclamation suspends both immigrant and non-immigrant visa issuance for a total of 19 countries (Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Burma, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Mali, Niger, Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen) as well as for those traveling on Palestinian Authority-issued travel documents. Citizens from these countries will no longer be able to obtain a visa to the USA.
It further places heavy restrictions on visa issuance to citizens from another 19 countries (Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe).
The proclamation suspends the issuance of immigrant and non-immigrant visas in the B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J categories. This includes standard business and tourism visas, student visas, and exchange visitor visas.
It further stipulates that the validity period of other types of visas issued to nationals from the above countries should be reduced to a single entry, for a maximum of three months.
The travel ban applies to individuals who are outside of the USA on 1 January 2026 and do not hold a valid visa on that date. Travelers who already hold a US visa may continue to use it for travel to the USA, and those already in the country may remain under the terms of their existing visas. The proclamation explicitly states that existing visas will not be revoked as a result of the measure. However, such individuals may be subject to enhanced scrutiny at ports of entry, and admission is always at the final discretion of border control authorities for any destination.
Some other exemptions from the travel ban include, permanent residents in the USA (green card holders), dual nationals of a country listed under the ban where the individual is traveling on the passport of the alternative nationality, athletes or athletic team support personnel traveling for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Olympic Games, or other major sporting events as determined by the Secretary of State, and certain diplomats and government officials. There are also some allowances for refugees, those facing persecution, and those whose travel is deemed to serve the US national interest.
As none of the countries listed in the December 2025 travel ban had visa-free access to the USA, the ban does not affect their passports’ visa-free scores. When calculating visa-free scores, The Henley Passport Index does not apply a specific classification for travel bans. In this case, the affected passports continue to be classified as ‘visa required’, as holders would still need a visa to enter the USA, even if such visas are not currently available to them. Moreover, certain exceptions remain in place under which individuals from the listed countries may still be eligible to obtain a visa.
In addition to the proposed travel bans, the U.S. Department of State is nearly tripling the number of countries whose passport holders will be required to post visa bonds of up to USD 15,000 in order to apply for entry to the USA. The requirement is said to be based on risk factors such as high visa overstay rates and gaps in screening and vetting information.
The program was originally piloted in 2025, with travelers from The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, São Tomé and Príncipe, Tanzania, and Zambia requiring a visa bond. Seven additional countries were included on 1 January 2026: Bhutan, Botswana, Central African Republic, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Namibia, and Turkmenistan, and a further 25 are set to be added on 21 January 2026: Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Benin, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cote D’Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Fiji, Gabon, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Nigeria, Senegal, Tajikistan, Togo, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe.
The visa bond applies to citizens of designated countries who are applying for a B-1/B-2 (visitor) visa and who meet the usual eligibility requirements for that visa. These applicants need to post a bond of USD 5,000, USD 10,000, or USD 15,000, with the exact amount determined by a consular officer at the visa interview.
Once a bond has been posted, travelers must enter and leave the USA through designated ports of entry. Using a non-designated port may result in denial of entry or an improperly recorded departure, which could create problems for future US visa applications.
The visa bond is refunded once the Department of Homeland Security confirms that the traveler has complied with the terms of their stay. This includes departing the USA on time, not using the visa to travel, or being refused entry at the port of entry.
A bond may be forfeited if the traveler overstays, fails to depart as required, or seeks to change their immigration status while in the USA, including by applying for asylum.
Henley & Partners assists international clients in obtaining residence and citizenship under the respective programs. Contact us to arrange an initial private consultation.
