U.S. Nears Expansion of ‘Draconian’ Tourist Travel Ban to More Countries

(UNITED STATES) A new presidential proclamation imposing an entry ban and visa limits on nationals of 19 countries took effect on June 9, 2025, and remains active as of August 12, 2025. The order, issued on June 4, establishes a rolling review that starts on September 2, 2025, allowing the administration to add or remove countries every 180 days. Officials and legal analysts say as many as 36 additional countries—many in sub‑Saharan Africa—are under review for possible inclusion if they do not meet U.S. identity‑management and information‑sharing benchmarks.

The legal instrument is the Presidential Proclamation titled “Restricting The Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats.” It creates two tiers:

• 12 countries face a full suspension of entry for both immigrants and nonimmigrants.
• 7 countries face partial restrictions, including broad suspensions on immigrant visas and on key nonimmigrant categories such as B (tourist/business), F/M (students), and J (exchange visitors).

The White House cites gaps in data sharing, document security, terrorism and public‑safety risks, and high overstay rates as reasons for the action.

Policy scope and who is affected

Under the proclamation, coverage applies to foreign nationals of the listed countries who were outside the United States on June 9, 2025 and did not hold a valid U.S. visa on that date. Key points:

• Tourists from fully suspended countries cannot receive B‑1/B‑2 visas.
• Tourists from partially suspended countries are generally barred from B visas, and immigrant visas are suspended as well.
• Individuals who already held a valid visa before the effective date are exempt for the life of that visa, subject to normal inspection at the border.

Consular posts are directed to refuse visa issuance for covered categories. In practice:

• Applicants from fully suspended countries should expect no visas to be issued unless they clearly qualify for an exemption or a narrow national‑interest determination.
• Applicants from partially suspended countries should expect refusals for B, F, M, J, and for immigrant visas; other nonimmigrant options may be possible only if not expressly restricted and if an exemption applies.

If you held a valid visa on June 9, 2025, carry proof when traveling; the proclamation does not cancel existing visas. Dual nationals should travel with the passport of the non‑listed country to fall under the dual‑national exemption. Families should be prepared for delays, since immigrant visa processing is broadly suspended for most listed‑country nationals—even though the text names humanitarian exemptions.

Countries facing full suspension (all immigrant and nonimmigrant entries)

• Afghanistan
• Burma (Myanmar)
• Chad
• Republic of the Congo
• Equatorial Guinea
• Eritrea
• Haiti
• Iran
• Libya
• Somalia
• Sudan
• Yemen

Countries under partial suspension

(All immigrant visas suspended plus restrictions on B/F/M/J nonimmigrant categories)

• Burundi
• Cuba
• Laos
• Sierra Leone
• Togo
• Turkmenistan
• Venezuela

Exemptions listed in the proclamation and guidance

• Current lawful permanent residents (green card holders)
• Individuals with a valid visa as of June 9, 2025
• Immediate relatives (spouse, minor child, parent) of U.S. citizens
• Refugees, asylees, and others granted humanitarian protection
• Diplomats and NATO personnel
• Dual nationals traveling on a passport from a non‑listed country
• Certain adoptees, Afghan SIV applicants, specified persecuted groups from Iran
• Select athletes and staff for major sporting events
• Travelers whose entry is deemed in the national interest

Practical guidance for travelers, families, employers, and schools

• Applicants should bring clear documentation to interviews or ports of entry to prove eligibility for exemptions or national‑interest determinations.
• Recommended documents include:
  • Evidence of a valid visa issued before June 9, 2025
  • Proof of lawful permanent residence
  • Proof of dual nationality and travel on the non‑listed passport
  • Documentation of the qualifying relationship to a U.S. citizen for immediate relative exemptions

Families, employers, and schools should note:

• Immigrant visa processing is broadly suspended for most listed‑country nationals, causing potential long delays or canceled interviews.
• Employers and universities should plan for disruption from the seven partially suspended countries—especially in the B, F, M, and J pipelines.
  • Schools may need to consider deferrals or remote starts.
  • Companies should review staffing plans and timelines for business visitors.
• Other nonimmigrant options may exist if not explicitly restricted, but outcomes will depend on consular guidance and proof of any exemption.

Economic and social impact

According to the American Immigration Council:

• Nearly 300,000 people from the listed countries entered the United States in 2022 and contributed an estimated $715.6 million in taxes, with billions in spending power.
• The group warns that expanding the entry ban could cause deeper social and economic losses—from separated families to workforce gaps in local communities.

VisaVerge.com reports that the two‑tier structure and rolling review could stretch impacts over time, especially for students, exchange visitors, and small businesses that rely on short‑term travel.

The stakes are high: for families, the difference between a granted exemption and a canceled interview can mean months—or years—apart. For students and researchers, a blocked F or J visa can erase a semester’s plans. For local economies, each canceled B‑1/B‑2 trip means lost trade shows, missed supplier meetings, and tourism dollars that never arrive.

Potential expansion and timeline

• Beginning September 2, 2025, the Secretary of State may recommend additions or removals every 180 days, creating a regular review cycle.
• Legal analyses and research note a pool of about 36 additional countries under review, 24 of them in sub‑Saharan Africa.
• If added, the affected global population could rise by roughly one billion people.

A July client alert from Dorsey & Whitney summarizes the proclamation’s exemptions and category suspensions and flags this review as the key driver of possible expansion.

Administration benchmarks for removal/addition

The administration’s stated benchmarks include:

• Identity‑management and information‑sharing, such as reporting lost and stolen passports and cooperation with Interpol
• Document security and reliable civil registries
• Terrorism and public‑safety risk assessments
• Visa overstay rates by category

The proclamation highlights specific overstay data—for example, Haiti’s 31.38% overstay rate for B‑1/B‑2 and 25.05% for F/M/J in State Department reporting. A Council on Foreign Relations explainer notes countries can be singled out for security concerns, weak document systems, or high overstay rates / limited deportation cooperation.

Humanitarian and operational concerns

Humanitarian groups warn of real‑world fallout:

• The International Rescue Committee says the order will likely block many family members of refugees and people granted asylum, despite textual exemptions, because immigrant visa processing is suspended for most listed‑country nationals.
• The proclamation does not provide a general urgent‑humanitarian waiver, leaving many families in limbo while posts cancel interviews and return applications.

Operational concerns include:

• Posts cancelling visa interviews and returning applications for covered nationals.
• Uncertainty around narrow national‑interest determinations and how consistently exemptions are applied.
• Administrative expansion of the ban via the rolling 180‑day review, potentially with little lead time.

What to monitor and where to get updates

Because the review cycle begins in September and repeats every 180 days, monitoring official updates is essential. The administration publishes proclamations and changes in the Presidential Actions archive on the White House website:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/.

Applicants and sponsors should:

1. Check the White House archive regularly for additions or removals.
2. Confirm post‑specific instructions with the relevant U.S. embassy or consulate.
3. Prepare and maintain documentation supporting any claimed exemption.

As the first review window opens, the ultimate scope of the entry ban—and how far it extends into sub‑Saharan Africa—will depend on whether governments meet the stated benchmarks and whether the administration accepts their progress.