President Donald Trump has significantly widened the scope of United States travel restrictions, bringing the total number of affected countries to 40. The White House announced the expansion on Tuesday, framing it as a critical measure to safeguard American national security and public safety.
New Nations Added to Full Ban List
The latest proclamation imposes full entry restrictions on nationals from five additional countries: Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, and Syria. Furthermore, individuals travelling on documents issued or endorsed by the Palestinian Authority will also face a complete suspension of entry into the US.
Two nations previously under partial limitations, Laos and Sierra Leone, have now been moved to the full ban list. The restrictions are set to take effect from January 1.
Broadening Scope with Partial Restrictions
An additional 15 countries have been placed under new partial restrictions and entry limitations. This list includes several African nations such as Nigeria, Senegal, and Zimbabwe. These partial bans typically apply to specific visa categories, often targeting immigrant visas while allowing some non-immigrant travel.
The White House stated the bans are "country-specific" measures designed to encourage improved cooperation from foreign governments on security and documentation matters. A formal statement cited issues like "widespread corruption, fraudulent or unreliable civil documents and criminal records, and nonexistent birth-registration systems" in many of the affected states.
Exemptions and Context for the Expansion
Certain individuals are exempt from the new rules. The restrictions do not apply to lawful permanent residents of the US (green card holders), those who already possess valid visas, or people travelling on diplomatic or athlete visas. Entry is also permitted for those whose travel is deemed to serve US national interests.
The policy expansion follows the November 26 shooting of two National Guard members in Washington. The suspected attacker was an Afghan national granted asylum in the US earlier this year, an incident that has intensified the administration's focus on vetting procedures.
The comprehensive list of 40 countries now impacted is divided into three tiers:
Countries with full restrictions:
- Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Burma, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Mali, Niger, Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Yemen.
- Individuals with Palestinian Authority travel documents.
Countries with partial restrictions:
- Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Special case:
- Turkmenistan (restrictions remain for immigrants but have been lifted for non-immigrant visas).
