President Trump announced a full and partial travel ban to 19 countries in the United States, sparking widespread concern and debate domestically and internationally. The sweeping immigration policy, signed on June 4, 2025, is set to take effect on June 9, 2025, and is being framed by the administration as a move to bolster national security. However, critics argue it carries deep social, political, and humanitarian implications that may affect thousands of lives.
Many call this one of his presidency’s most extensive visa restrictions, and Donald Trump has authorized full and partial entry bans targeting specific countries. The administration insists this action is necessary to protect the United States from foreign terrorists, citing security concerns and a lack of international cooperation from the listed nations.
What Does the Travel Ban Entail?
The official proclamation, titled “Restricting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats,” lays out the details. According to the White House, the decision was not made lightly but after an extensive review of each country’s vetting capabilities and cooperation with U.S. authorities.
The travel ban consists of:
- Full entry bans on 12 countries
- Partial restrictions on 7 additional countries
Each category is based on how severely a country fails to meet the U.S. government’s security standards.
Countries Facing Full Entry Bans
Under the new policy, nationals from the following 12 countries are entirely prohibited from entering the United States, regardless of their visa type, whether as tourists, business visitors, students, or skilled professionals. The bans stem from concerns about terrorism, lack of governmental cooperation, inadequate identity verification systems, and extremely high visa overstay rates.
1. Afghanistan
Due to significant security concerns, the U.S. government has imposed a full entry suspension on Afghan nationals. The Taliban, a designated global terrorist organization, currently governs Afghanistan, and there is no credible or cooperative central authority in place to issue valid passports or civil documents.
Moreover, Afghanistan lacks robust screening or vetting measures. The Fiscal Year 2023 Overstay Report indicates troubling trends, with a 9.70% overstay rate for B-1/B-2 (business/tourist) visas and a staggering 29.30% for F, M, and J (student, vocational, and exchange) visas.
2. Myanmar (Burma)
Burma has shown a consistent lack of cooperation in repatriating its nationals ordered removed from the U.S. Additionally, the country’s overstay rates are among the highest: 27.07% for B-1/B-2 visas and 42.17% for F, M, and J visas. These figures indicate systemic noncompliance with U.S. immigration norms and pose a serious national security concern.
3. Chad
Chad exhibits alarmingly high visa overstay rates of 49.54% for business/tourist visas and 55.64% for student and exchange visas, based on the FY2023 Overstay Report. These numbers are compounded by its 2022 rates, which were also unacceptably high. The U.S. government views this as a sign of widespread disregard for its immigration rules, justifying the complete suspension of Chadian nationals’ entry.
4. Republic of the Congo
The Republic of the Congo has a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 29.63% and a 35.14% overstay rate for F, M, and J visa holders. These metrics, combined with poor vetting protocols, led the U.S. to block all immigrant and nonimmigrant entries from this Central African country.
READ MORE: Best 10 Countries That Will Pay You to Move There
5. Equatorial Guinea
Equatorial Guinea presents one of the most extreme student visa overstay issues, with an astonishing 70.18% overstay rate for F, M, and J visas. The country also recorded a 21.98% overstay rate for B-1/B-2 visas. Such data highlights a severe failure in enforcement and visa compliance, prompting a full ban.
6. Eritrea
Concerns surrounding Eritrea include a lack of reliable law enforcement and civil documentation systems. Eritrea has historically refused to accept deported nationals and does not provide criminal record information. Overstay rates are also high at 20.09% for B-1/B-2 visas and 55.43% for F, M, and J visas. This lack of transparency and cooperation triggered the entry ban.
7. Haiti
Haiti’s entry ban is based on multiple national security concerns. The country lacks a centralized authority to screen individuals or share law enforcement data. Its visa overstay rates of 31.38% for B-1/B-2 and 25.05% for F, M, and J are compounded by a large influx of undocumented Haitian immigrants into the U.S. in recent years. The administration believes this wave has overwhelmed border resources and increased risks of criminal network formation.
8. Iran
Iran is officially recognized as a state sponsor of terrorism. The country fails to cooperate with U.S. authorities on national security matters and frequently refuses to take back its removable nationals. Due to its destabilizing global activities and deep-rooted security threats, all Iranian nationals are barred from entering the U.S.
9. Libya
Libya lacks a functioning central authority to issue credible civil or travel documents. This gap, combined with ongoing civil conflict and the presence of terrorist groups operating freely within its borders, poses a serious risk to U.S. security. As a result, Libyan nationals’ entry is completely suspended.
10. Somalia
Somalia remains a known terrorist haven, with areas of the country controlled by militant groups. The government lacks territorial control, making document verification virtually impossible. It has also refused to accept its nationals facing deportation. Visa overstay rates are high, and the nation’s fragile governance contributes to an unsafe immigration profile, prompting a total entry ban.
11. Sudan
Sudan faces ongoing political instability and lacks the infrastructure for reliable document issuance or effective security screening. The country had a 26.30% overstay rate for B-1/B-2 visa holders and 28.40% for F, M, and J visas. These deficiencies and elevated overstay risks led to a comprehensive suspension of entries.
12. Yemen
Yemen’s government has lost control over large parts of the country, making documentation unreliable and screening ineffective. Since 20 January 2025, U.S. military operations have been active in the region. Given the deteriorating security situation and high risk of terrorist exploitation, the U.S. has completely halted all entries by Yemeni nationals.
This comprehensive entry ban reflects the administration’s prioritization of national security, border integrity, and immigration enforcement. While the decision has drawn global scrutiny, U.S. officials argue that these measures are necessary until affected nations demonstrate better cooperation, security standards, and adherence to international repatriation protocols.
These nations, the Trump administration claims, either lack sufficient screening protocols or are deemed potential safe havens for terrorism. This blanket restriction includes tourists, business travelers, students, and skilled workers.
READ MORE: 7 Cheapest European Countries to Live In
Countries with Partial Visa Restrictions
In contrast to nations facing full visa bans, the following seven countries are subject to partial visa restrictions, primarily affecting immigrant visa applicants and specific nonimmigrant categories, most notably the B-1/B-2 (business/tourism) and student/exchange visitor visa categories (F, M, J).
While short-term travel for diplomatic or official purposes may still be allowed, other visa categories, particularly those leading to long-term stays or permanent residency, are under intense scrutiny due to overstay rates, lack of cooperation in repatriation, or deficiencies in identity management and law enforcement cooperation.
1. Burundi
Burundi faces significant restrictions due to high visa overstay rates and security concerns:
- Overstay Statistics: B-1/B-2 overstay rate of 35%; F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 17.52%.
- Restrictions: Entry of Burundian nationals on immigrant visas and nonimmigrant B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas are suspended.
- Visa Validity: Consular officers are instructed to limit the validity of all nonimmigrant visas issued to Burundians to the shortest duration permissible by law.
2. Cuba
Cuba is subject to visa restrictions due to its designation as a state sponsor of terrorism and lack of cooperation with U.S. law enforcement:
- Security Concerns: Cuba fails to share adequate law enforcement information and regularly refuses to accept deportees.
- Overstay Statistics: B-1/B-2 overstay rate of 69%; F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 18.75%.
- Restrictions: Entry of Cuban nationals on immigrant visas and B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas is suspended.
- Visa Validity: Other nonimmigrant visa categories are subject to reduced validity periods.
3. Laos
Laos is mainly restricted due to its poor track record in accepting deported nationals and a high overstay rate:
- Overstay Statistics: B-1/B-2 overstay rate of 77%, one of the highest; F, M, and J overstay rate of 6.49%.
- Restrictions: Lao nationals are barred from entering the U.S. as immigrants under the specified nonimmigrant visa categories.
- Visa Validity: Consular officers must limit the duration of other nonimmigrant visas.
4. Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone faces restrictions owing to extremely high overstay rates and repatriation challenges:
- Overstay Statistics: B-1/B-2 overstay rate of 43%; F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 35.83%.
- Restrictions: Immigrant and specific nonimmigrant visa entry is suspended for Sierra Leonean nationals.
- Visa Validity: All other nonimmigrant visa durations are to be minimized as legally allowable.
5. Togo
Togo is restricted due to its elevated visa overstay rates:
- Overstay Statistics: B-1/B-2 overstay rate of 03%; F, M, and J overstay rate of 35.05%.
- Restrictions: Nationals of Togo are barred from obtaining immigrant visas and B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas.
- Visa Validity: Consular officers are directed to minimize the validity of any other nonimmigrant visas.
6. Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan faces partial restrictions due to a pattern of overstays and limited cooperation:
- Overstay Statistics: B-1/B-2 overstay rate of 35%; F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 21.74%.
- Restrictions: Immigrant and designated nonimmigrant visa categories are suspended for Turkmen nationals.
- Visa Validity: Validity for other nonimmigrant visa types is to be curtailed as per legal allowances.
7. Venezuela
Venezuela’s visa restrictions stem from institutional dysfunction and national security issues:
- Concerns: It lacks a cooperative authority to verify civil documents and has refused to repatriate its nationals.
- Overstay Statistics: B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 83%.
- Restrictions: Venezuelan nationals are barred from entering under immigrant visas and B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J nonimmigrant categories.
- Visa Validity: Consular officers are instructed to reduce the validity of other nonimmigrant visas to the shortest period possible under the law.
These partial restrictions reflect the U.S. government’s broader immigration enforcement goals, targeting countries with problematic travel behavior, insufficient cooperation, and systemic deficiencies in border management. Individuals from these nations must undergo more rigorous scrutiny and often face shortened visa durations, limited mobility, and higher denial rates, even for visa categories that remain technically open.
While individuals from these countries may still qualify for short-term travel or diplomatic purposes, other categories, especially long-term immigration, are under strict scrutiny.
Understanding the Rationale Behind the Travel Ban
The Trump administration has stated that the ban is grounded in enhancing national security and maintaining public safety. According to U.S. officials, these 19 countries have repeatedly failed to comply with information-sharing agreements, have poor passport and identity management systems, or pose potential risks related to terrorism and overstay violations.
In addition, a recent violent incident in Colorado, allegedly involving an Egyptian national (although Egypt is not among the banned countries), has reignited conversations about border control and the vetting of foreign nationals.
Officials assert that this is a preemptive and necessary measure to prevent terrorism on U.S. soil.
Are There Any Exceptions to the Travel Ban?
Yes, despite the sweeping nature of this policy, there are notable exceptions:
- U.S. Green Card holders (lawful permanent residents)
- Dual nationals traveling with passports from non-listed countries
- Individuals with valid U.S. visas issued before June 9, 2025
- Diplomats and employees of international organizations
- Athletes and officials participating in major global sporting events (like the Olympics or World Cup)
- Immediate family members of U.S. citizens (with verifiable documentation)
- Individuals granted refugee or asylum status or protection under the Convention Against Torture
Moreover, the Secretary of State and the Attorney General retain the authority to grant discretionary exemptions if an individual’s entry is vital to the national interest.
READ MORE: This Historic German Town is offering 14-Day Rent-Free stays to attract New Residents
Will This Travel Ban Be Reviewed?
Yes. The policy includes a built-in review mechanism. Every 180 days, the Secretary of State, Secretary of Homeland Security, Attorney General, and Director of National Intelligence will collaborate to assess:
- If any countries have improved their security protocols
- Whether the ban should be modified, extended, or lifted
This periodic review suggests a possibility for diplomatic negotiation, but until changes are made, the visa restrictions remain firmly in place.
Reactions To The Travel Ban: Support and Outrage
As expected, reactions have been deeply polarized. Supporters of the policy argue that it reinforces America’s right to control its borders and protect citizens from external threats.
However, critics, including civil rights organizations, immigration advocates, and local leaders, have condemned the move. Many see it as a continuation of the 2017 “Muslim Ban,” labeling it discriminatory and rooted in xenophobia rather than real security needs.
Notable Responses:
- Amnesty International called the ban “discriminatory, racist, and downright cruel.”
- Miami-Dade County Commissioner Marleine Bastien, a Haitian-American, warned the ban would “tear families apart and create legal and emotional chaos.”
- Legal scholars suggest the ban could face court challenges. Still, Trump’s team has crafted the policy to withstand judicial scrutiny, referencing the 2018 Supreme Court decision that upheld a previous version of the travel ban.
Global Fallout and International Implications of the Travel Ban
The ban’s timing also raises concerns about international cooperation and participation in major events hosted in the U.S., such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Although the travel ban includes provisions for athletic exemptions, diplomatic tensions may discourage participation or spark retaliatory measures from affected nations. For businesses, universities, and families alike, the ripple effects of this visa policy could be profound and long-lasting.
READ MORE: Japan eases Student Visa Rules to attract International Students
President Trump’s decision to issue a full and partial travel ban to foreign nationals from 19 countries to the United States marks a pivotal moment in U.S. immigration policy. While positioned as a protective measure for American citizens, the real-world impact will likely be deeply felt across education, business, tourism, and global diplomacy.
Whether this policy endures or evolves will depend on future security assessments, international diplomacy, and potential legal challenges. But for now, it is a clear and controversial statement of the Trump administration’s approach to national security and immigration.
