Trump Administration Issues Multiple Travel Bans Affecting Immigrant and Nonimmigrant Visa Applicants

Travel Ban to Take Effect Monday, June 9, 2025 and Impact 19 Countries

On June 4, 2025, President Trump issued a Presidential Proclamation Restricting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Threats to bar the entry of foreign nationals from multiple countries in an effort to protect national security and public safety. The travel ban will take effect on Monday, June 9 at 12:01AM EDT.

In total, 19 countries are affected by the travel ban — 12 are subject to a full travel ban, while citizens from the remaining seven countries are only partially barred from entering the U.S. In issuing these bans, the president considered various factors, including each country’s screening and vetting capabilities, information-sharing policies, and country-specific risk factors such as terrorist threats and whether its citizens are prone to overstaying their visas. Within 90 days of issuing the proclamation, and every following 180 days, the attorney general, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of State, and the director of national intelligence must review the travel ban and determine whether it should be continued, terminated, modified or supplemented further.

Citizens of the following countries are subject to a full travel ban:

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

Citizens of the following countries are partially banned from entering as immigrants or in B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, or J status:

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

The president has also identified Egypt as a subject for a potential future ban after review of in-country conditions by the attorney general, DHS Secretary and director of national intelligence.

The travel ban only applies to foreign nationals located outside of the U.S. as of Monday, June 9, 2025, at 12:01AM EDT who do not already hold valid immigrant or nonimmigrant visas. These visas will not be revoked after June 9, 2025. The travel ban also does not apply to the following individuals:

• Permanent residents (presumably including immigrant visa holders already admitted to the U.S.)
• Dual nationals of a non-listed country (as long as the unaffected passport is presented)
• Those with the following visas: 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 coaches in World Cup, Olympics or major sporting event
• Immediate relative immigrant visas (IR-1/CR-1, IR-2/CR-2, IR-5) “with clear and convincing evidence of identity and family relationship (e.g., DNA)”
• Adoptions (IR-3, IR-4, IH-3, IH-4)
• Afghan Special Immigrant Visas
• Special Immigrant Visas for U.S. government employees
• Immigrant visas for ethnic and religious minorities facing persecution in Iran
• Individuals granted asylum
• Refugees admitted to the U.S.
• Individuals granted withholding of removal under the Convention Against Torture (CAT)

Notably, case-by-case exceptions can be granted by the attorney general and secretary of state if travel would advance a critical U.S. national interest. However, it is expected that exceptions will be issued only in very limited circumstances and there is very little guidance within the proclamation that indicates how an exception will be granted.

A second proclamation was simultaneously issued, which specifically affects the admission of foreign students at Harvard University, titled Enhancing National Security by Addressing Risks at Harvard University.

This proclamation took effect on June 4, 2025, and bars the entry of students in F, J or M status who seek to attend Harvard University after June 4, unless entry is deemed to be within the national interest. The proclamation also allows the secretary of state to revoke F, J or M status of current Harvard students who pose a risk to national security interests or public safety. This proclamation will be reviewed after 90 days to determine whether it should be continued.

Both proclamations will significantly affect the issuance of immigrant and nonimmigrant visas for millions of individuals from affected countries, as well as the entry of individuals who already hold valid immigrant and nonimmigrant visas. Individuals from affected countries with pending immigrant and nonimmigrant visa matters should expect to put their travel plans on hold for the foreseeable future until modifications to the ban are implemented.