US Visa Rules Jan 2026: 39-Country Ban and Fee Hikes

(UNITED STATES) — President Trump put a new travel ban and an inflation-based fee hike into effect on Thursday, expanding visa restrictions to 39 countries under Presidential Proclamation 10998 and raising several immigration-related fees starting January 1, 2026.

Overview of the two changes (effective Jan. 1, 2026)

• Presidential Proclamation 10998: Expands travel restrictions and visa suspensions to a total of 39 countries as a national security measure.
• Inflation-based fee increases: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) implemented the first annual inflation adjustments required by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1).

USCIS and DHS warned that any benefit request postmarked on or after Jan. 1, 2026 must include the updated fee amounts or it will be rejected.

Proclamation 10998 — purpose and context

Signed on Dec. 16, 2025, the proclamation is titled “Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States.” It expanded the list of restricted countries from 19 to 39, citing concerns about “deficient screening and vetting information” and high visa overstay rates, building on Proclamation 10949 (June 2025).

“To faithfully uphold United States immigration law, the flow of foreigners from countries with high overstay rates or significant fraud must stop.”
— Presidential Proclamation 10998, Dec. 16, 2025

Scope of the travel restrictions

The proclamation divides the affected countries into two categories: full ban and partial ban. It also lists several exemptions.

Full ban (complete suspension of all immigrant and nonimmigrant visas)

A full suspension of all immigrant and nonimmigrant visas — including H-1B and J-1 — applies to nationals of the following 19 countries and territories:
– Afghanistan
– Burma (Myanmar)
– Burkina Faso
– Chad
– Republic of the Congo
– Equatorial Guinea
– Eritrea
– Haiti
– Iran
– Laos
– Libya
– Mali
– Niger
– Sierra Leone
– Somalia
– South Sudan
– Sudan
– Syria
– Yemen

The proclamation also applies to individuals traveling on documents issued or endorsed by the Palestinian Authority.

Partial ban (suspends immigrant visas and specific nonimmigrant categories)

The partial suspension applies to 20 countries, suspending all immigrant visas and nonimmigrant B-1, B-2, F, M, and J visas (with a noted exception below):

• Angola
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Benin
• Burundi
• Cote d’Ivoire
• Cuba
• Dominica
• Gabon
• The Gambia
• Malawi
• Mauritania
• Nigeria
• Senegal
• Tanzania
• Togo
• Tonga
• Turkmenistan (immigrant visas only)
• Venezuela
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe

Exemptions and carve-outs

The proclamation provides multiple exemptions, including:

• Lawful permanent residents (green card holders) — exempt
• Visas issued before Jan. 1, 2026 — remain valid and will not be revoked
• Diplomats in A, G, and NATO categories
• Dual nationals traveling on a passport from a non-banned country
• Recognized participants in the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Olympics

These exemptions limit the practical effect of the proclamation for some travelers but do not affect future visa issuance to covered nationals.

Practical consequences for travelers and carriers

• Airlines and carriers must confirm visa eligibility and documentation before allowing boarding to the United States under the proclamation’s rules.
• The proclamation blocks future issuance of the listed visas for covered nationals, even where existing visas remain valid.
• For employers and exchange programs, the full-ban category includes H-1B and J-1, cutting off those visa types for the 19 fully banned countries.
• The partial ban suspends J (exchange visitor) visas alongside B-1/B-2 visitor visas and F/M student visas for the listed countries.

Fee changes tied to H.R. 1 (effective Jan. 1, 2026)

The fee increases are the first annual inflation adjustments required by H.R. 1. DHS and USCIS stated:

“Beginning in FY 2026, and continuing for each subsequent fiscal year, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will adjust some of these fees for inflation, as specified in H.R. 1. The new inflationary-adjusted fees are effective on Jan. 1, 2026. If you submit a benefit request postmarked on or after Jan. 1, 2026, you must include the new fee.”

USCIS Director Joseph Edlow emphasized vetting in announcing the changes:

“Protecting Americans is at the center of everything we do at USCIS. making sure every alien undergoes the most rigorous vetting.”

Notable fee increases (old → new)

• The fee changes are triggered by postmark date. USCIS warns that any benefit request postmarked on or after Jan. 1, 2026 must include the updated fee amount or the request will be rejected.

Official guidance and references

• Department of State notice on visa issuance suspensions: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/visas-news/suspension-of-visa-issuance-to-foreign-nationals-to-protect-the-security-of-the-united-states.html
• USCIS newsroom (search term: “FY 2026 Inflation Increase”): https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom
• Federal Register entry: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/11/21/2025-25497/inflation-adjustment-to-hr-1-immigration-fees
• Form I-765 (Application for Employment Authorization) fee information: Form I-765 (initial EAD)

Summary and combined impact

The paired rollout on January 1, 2026 places Proclamation 10998’s travel restrictions alongside the H.R. 1–driven inflation fee increases, producing simultaneous effects on:

• Who can seek U.S. visas (more restrictive eligibility for nationals of the 39 listed countries), and
• What certain immigration applicants must pay when filing benefit requests (higher fees, effective by postmark date).

These measures affect travelers, employers, exchange programs, and immigration applicants by changing both access to visas and the cost of immigration benefits.