As of December 22, the U.S. government announced the following changes:

• All U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) applications for people from the countries listed in the June and December 2025 travel bans are paused.
• All asylum decisions are paused. 
• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officers can consider if a person is from a country travel ban to decide applications that are discretionary, like asylee applications for green cards. Although USCIS has only announced changes to this policy for people from countries listed in the June 2025 travel ban, it is likely that the changes will apply to people from countries listed in the December 2025 travel ban as well.
• The U.S. government will review immigration applications that have already been approved for people from countries included in the June and December 2025 travel bans who came to the U.S. since 2021.

You can learn more about these updates here. 

This article was last updated on December 17, 2025

Summary

This article explains what the recent U.S. travel ban means for people who are outside of the U.S. and from “fully restricted” countries. When we say you are “from” a country, we mean that you hold that country’s nationality. If you were born in a country mentioned here, but you are not a national of that country, this information does not apply to you.

Starting on January 1, 2026, the list of “fully restricted” countries will include: Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. It will also include individuals holding Palestinian Authority-issued travel documents. 

In comparison, the original June 2025 list of “fully restricted” countries included: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.

It’s important to remember that:

• Whether you or your family member can enter the U.S. depends on a lot of different factors, including the type of visa you applied for, the country you are from, and where you are currently located.
• Every case is different. If you have a question about how this affects you specifically, you should talk to an immigration lawyer.

If you want general information about the travel ban, click here.

If you’re from another country on the travel ban list, click here.

If you’re from one of these countries but you’re inside the U.S., click here.

What are the travel ban’s rules for people from “fully restricted” countries?

If you are from a “fully restricted” country, you generally cannot enter the United States, no matter what type of visa you are using, unless you qualify for an exception. This article explains some of the exceptions and special rules that may apply to people from fully restricted countries.

Note that if you are applying for any of the excluded visas, the U.S. Department of State may still schedule interviews with you. However, the official who interviews you will likely deny your application because of the travel ban. Earlier steps, including the processing of underlying petitions by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), may still happen. 

If you already have a valid visa

The U.S. government has stated that people from the listed countries who already have visas and are outside the United States will not have their visas revoked as a result of the travel ban. However, the government has the authority to take away someone’s visa for other reasons. If you are concerned about traveling on your valid visa, you should consult an immigration lawyer for specific advice.

If you applied for refugee resettlement

Earlier this year, before this travel ban was put in place, the President suspended the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). This meant that refugees were no longer being resettled in the United States.

IRAP sued the U.S. government over this suspension, arguing that it is illegal to pause the USRAP in this way. The lawsuit is ongoing, but at this time, most refugee resettlement applications are still paused. For more information on the status of the USRAP and our lawsuit, see here. 

As written, the travel ban should not apply to refugees. But as of June 26, 2025, the U.S. government says that it does apply to refugees. This means that even refugees who should be able to enter the United States due to IRAP’s case who are from the listed countries cannot enter at this time. IRAP is fighting this application of the travel ban to refugees in court, but the courts have not finished deciding this issue yet. 

If you are an Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holder

If you are an Afghan national with an approved Special Immigrant Visa (SIV), you should still be allowed to enter the United States on your valid visa. For more information on Afghan SIV travel, see here.  

Although the June 2025 travel ban proclamation said that Afghan SIVs would not be affected by the ban, the updated travel ban changed this rule. There will no longer be a general exception for Afghan SIVs starting on January 1, 2026. SIV applicants who do not have a valid visa issued before this date will not be allowed to enter the U.S.

Also, in November 2025, the U.S. government paused issuing visas to Afghan SIV applicants and paused decisions on Chief of Mission (COM) applications. For more information on these changes, see here.

Please note that we are only talking about SIVs for U.S.-affiliated Afghans here. If you are eligible for a different type of Special Immigrant Visa for U.S. government employees, click here.

If you applied for Follow-to-Join Refugee or Asylee Status (I-730s)

If your family member has refugee status: As written, the travel ban should not apply to refugees, including family members coming as follow-to-join refugees, but the earlier USRAP suspension likely will. But as of June 26, 2025, the US government says that it does apply to refugees. 

This means that even refugees who should be able to enter the United States due to IRAP’s case, and who are from the listed countries, cannot enter at this time. IRAP is fighting this application of the travel ban to refugees in court. More information on the refugee suspension can be found here.

If your family member has asylee status: The travel ban as written should not affect you, but the government says that it does apply to follow-to-join asylees. In October 2025, IRAP filed a lawsuit to fight this application of the travel ban to asylees in court. This lawsuit is called AA v. State, and you can find more information about it here.

If you are the “beneficiary” of an approved Family-Based Petition (I-130)

Although the June 2025 travel ban proclamation said that certain family-based visa applicants would not be affected by the ban, the December 2025 travel ban changed this rule. Starting on January 1, 2026, all family-based visa applicants who:

• Are from a “fully restricted” country,
• are outside the United States, and
• do not have a valid visa on January 1, 2026 

will not be allowed to enter the United States unless they qualify for a specific exception.

You may still submit your I-130 petition to USCIS if you fall into this category, but you will likely not be issued a visa while the travel ban is in place. 

If you are a student

This depends on whether or not your visa has already been approved.

• If you’re applying for a student visa: You will not be permitted to travel to the U.S. unless you qualify for an exception to the travel ban.

• If you already have a valid visa as of January 1, 2026: You should still be allowed to enter the U.S. However, there may still be risks involved in traveling to the U.S. with a student visa even if your visa was approved before January 1, 2026. If you have a valid student visa, you may wish to consult an immigration attorney before traveling.

If you are a tourist 

This depends on whether or not your visa has already been approved.

• If you are applying for a tourist visa: You will not be permitted to travel to the U.S. unless you fall into one of the exceptions to the travel ban. 
• If you already have a valid visa as of January 1, 2026: You should still be allowed to enter the U.S. However, there may still be risks involved in traveling to the U.S. with a tourist visa even if your visa was approved before January 1, 2026. If you have a valid tourist visa, you may wish to consult an immigration attorney before traveling.

Other exceptions for people from fully restricted countries

U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents

If you are a Lawful Permanent Resident, also called an LPR or Green Card holder, and you are currently outside the U.S., this travel ban does not stop you from entering the U.S. However, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will still be able to decide if you can legally enter the United States when you arrive, just as they do with any non-citizens who are seeking to enter the country.

Recipients of Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) U.S. Government Employees (Non-Afghan)

The travel ban does not apply to people with “Special Immigrant Visas for U.S. Government employees.” This is a different type of visa from the Afghan SIV. If you qualify for such a visa, you will not be impacted by the ban. 

Some Dual Nationals

If you are from a country on the travel ban list, but you also have a passport from a country that is not on the list, you might still be allowed to get a visa and enter the U.S. — as long as you use the passport from the country that is not banned.

For example: If you have a passport from Yemen (which is on the list) and also from Canada (which is not on the list), you may still be allowed to travel to the U.S. if you apply for a visa as a Canadian citizen.

Some Non-Immigrant Visa Categories

If you are applying for one of the following non-immigrant visa categories, your ability to enter the U.S. will not be affected by this travel ban: A-1, A-2, C-2, C-3, G-1, G-2, G-3, G-4, NATO-1, NATO‑2, NATO-3, NATO-4, NATO-5, or NATO-6. 

Athletes and Team Personnel

If you are an athlete or member of an athletic team, including coaches, people performing a necessary support role, and immediate relatives, and are traveling for the World Cup, Olympics, or other ‘major sporting event’, you should still be able to enter the U.S.

Adoptions

Although the June 2025 travel ban proclamation said that children being adopted from outside the U.S. would not be affected by the ban, the December 2025 travel ban changed this rule. Starting on January 1, 2026, adoption visa applicants who

• are from a “fully restricted” country,
• are outside the United States, and
• do not have a valid visa on January 1, 2026 

will not be allowed to enter the United States unless they receive a “case-by-case” exception.

Some Ethnic and Religious Minorities in Iran

The proclamation states that “ethnic and religious minorities facing persecution in Iran” will still be able to apply for and receive immigrant visas, meaning visas that lead to permanent residence in the U.S. IRAP understands that the Department of State may consider members of the following group to belong to this category: Ahwazi Arabs, Azerbaijani Turks (Azeris), Baha'i, Balouch, Christians, Jews, Kurds, Sabean-Mandaeans, Sufi Muslims, Sunni Muslims, Yarsans, Zoroastrians, and possibly other groups as well. Officials will make individual decisions in each case whether this exception applies to a person or not. If you believe you should be covered by this exception, you should share information and evidence about your situation during your visa interview.

Asylees and Refugees Seeking to Re-Enter the United States

The travel ban should not prevent you from entry on a valid Refugee Travel Document.

Summary of application of travel ban to people from fully restricted countries

I heard there are ways to ask for a case-by-case exception. Is it true? How do I do that?

Yes, there are two case-by-case exceptions to the travel ban. 

• If the Attorney General of the U.S. determines that your travel would advance a national interest of the U.S. related to the Department of Justice (such as being a witness in a criminal case), you may qualify for an exception to the travel ban. 
• Additionally, if the Secretary of State finds that your travel would serve a “national interest” of the U.S., you may qualify for an exception to the travel ban.

IRAP does not have detailed information on how the government decides who qualifies for a national interest exception. The government has said that having a connection to a U.S. citizen or institution or facing financial hardship, personal hardship (including emotional distress), educational hardship, or non-critical harm to one’s health would not be enough to qualify for this type of exception. They have also said that these exceptions should be granted “rarely.”  

Is this travel ban permanent? How long does a proclamation last?

It is unclear how long the travel ban will last. According to the December 2025 presidential proclamation, the Secretary of State will submit a report explaining whether any parts of the travel ban should be changed or ended within 180 days of December 16, 2025. The Secretary of State will then have to submit a similar report every 180 days. 

It is possible that the terms of the travel ban will change again after each of the review periods. At this time, we do not know how long the ban will last, or what changes may happen in the future. If there are any changes to the travel ban, this article will be updated.