Trump expands US travel ban, adds 7 countries to the ban list, tightens entry rules on others
A White House fact sheet stated that the proclamation builds on earlier travel restrictions and now imposes full or partial entry bans on citizens from more than 30 countries
- Dec 17, 2025,
- Updated Dec 17, 2025 8:00 AM IST
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday moved to significantly widen America’s travel curbs, signing a mandate that expands entry restrictions on foreigners from seven additional countries and tightens rules on others, citing national security risks, weak vetting systems and high visa overstay rates.
A White House fact sheet stated that the proclamation builds on earlier travel restrictions and now imposes full or partial entry bans on citizens from more than 30 countries. The order also tightens scrutiny of certain travel documents and narrows select family-based visa exemptions that officials said have been vulnerable to misuse.
Under the expanded measures, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan and Syria have been added to the list of countries facing a complete suspension of entry into the United States. The restrictions are set to come into force on January 1.
Laos and Sierra Leone, which were previously subject to partial curbs, have now been upgraded to full bans.
The proclamation also imposes a complete entry suspension on individuals travelling on Palestinian Authority-issued passports or travel documents, with the White House citing difficulties in conducting reliable background checks amid ongoing conflict and the presence of militant groups in the West Bank and Gaza.
Full entry restrictions will continue for nationals of Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen, which were already covered under earlier bans.
The latest expansion follows heightened scrutiny of immigration controls after the November 26 shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, DC. The suspect, an Afghan national who previously worked with a CIA-linked unit, entered the US after the 2021 withdrawal and was granted asylum earlier this year following vetting. The administration has pointed to the case as evidence of gaps in existing screening systems.
Partial entry restrictions expanded
Partial restrictions will remain in place for nationals of Burundi, Cuba, Togo and Venezuela. In addition, the proclamation introduces partial entry limits for 15 more countries, including Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Turkmenistan is the only country to see a relaxation under the revised framework, with restrictions on non-immigrant visas for its nationals lifted.
Visa compliance and security concerns
Officials also pointed to ongoing terrorist activity, internal conflict and high visa overstay rates as key factors driving the decision. Countries including Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Nigeria were flagged for active terrorist threats, while others were cited for elevated rates of B-1/B-2 and student visa overstays, based on Department of Homeland Security data.
Syria was singled out for lacking “an adequate central authority for issuing passports or civil documents” after years of civil unrest.
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday moved to significantly widen America’s travel curbs, signing a mandate that expands entry restrictions on foreigners from seven additional countries and tightens rules on others, citing national security risks, weak vetting systems and high visa overstay rates.
A White House fact sheet stated that the proclamation builds on earlier travel restrictions and now imposes full or partial entry bans on citizens from more than 30 countries. The order also tightens scrutiny of certain travel documents and narrows select family-based visa exemptions that officials said have been vulnerable to misuse.
Under the expanded measures, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan and Syria have been added to the list of countries facing a complete suspension of entry into the United States. The restrictions are set to come into force on January 1.
Laos and Sierra Leone, which were previously subject to partial curbs, have now been upgraded to full bans.
The proclamation also imposes a complete entry suspension on individuals travelling on Palestinian Authority-issued passports or travel documents, with the White House citing difficulties in conducting reliable background checks amid ongoing conflict and the presence of militant groups in the West Bank and Gaza.
Full entry restrictions will continue for nationals of Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen, which were already covered under earlier bans.
The latest expansion follows heightened scrutiny of immigration controls after the November 26 shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, DC. The suspect, an Afghan national who previously worked with a CIA-linked unit, entered the US after the 2021 withdrawal and was granted asylum earlier this year following vetting. The administration has pointed to the case as evidence of gaps in existing screening systems.
Partial entry restrictions expanded
Partial restrictions will remain in place for nationals of Burundi, Cuba, Togo and Venezuela. In addition, the proclamation introduces partial entry limits for 15 more countries, including Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Turkmenistan is the only country to see a relaxation under the revised framework, with restrictions on non-immigrant visas for its nationals lifted.
Visa compliance and security concerns
Officials also pointed to ongoing terrorist activity, internal conflict and high visa overstay rates as key factors driving the decision. Countries including Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Nigeria were flagged for active terrorist threats, while others were cited for elevated rates of B-1/B-2 and student visa overstays, based on Department of Homeland Security data.
Syria was singled out for lacking “an adequate central authority for issuing passports or civil documents” after years of civil unrest.