US Travel Restrictions Expand Dramatically New Presidential Order Impacts Nationals from 39 Countries Effective January 2026

Listeners planning trips to the United States should be aware of major new travel restrictions from Presidential Proclamation 10998, issued by the White House on December 16, 2025, which dramatically expanded entry bans effective January 1, 2026, at 12:01 a.m. EST, now impacting nationals from 39 countries plus holders of Palestinian Authority-issued documents. According to the U.S. Department of State and analyses from firms like Fredrikson & Byron and Badmus Law, this proclamation more than doubles prior restrictions from 19 countries, citing national security and vetting concerns under the Immigration and Nationality Act Section 212(f), suspending immigrant visas and key nonimmigrant categories like B-1/B-2 tourist/business, F student, M vocational, and J exchange visas for affected individuals outside the U.S. without a valid visa as of the effective date.

The ban splits into full entry prohibitions for 19 countries including Syria, the Palestinian Authority, and newly added nations where no visas are issued for any purpose, and partial restrictions for others barring immigrants and visitor/student visas while potentially allowing some work categories like H-1B on a case-by-case basis, as detailed in Henley & Partners' Global Mobility Report and Congressional Research Service summaries. Exemptions protect lawful permanent residents, dual nationals using non-restricted passports, certain diplomats, World Cup participants, and persecuted minorities from Iran, but previous carve-outs for U.S. citizen relatives, adoptions, and Afghan Special Immigrant Visas have been eliminated, per the White House proclamation and U.S. Embassy updates.

Those already in the U.S. or holding visas issued before January 1, 2026, face no revocation but may encounter heightened scrutiny at ports of entry, according to the Department of State's visa suspension notice and CBP guidance. Business travelers, students, and families from affected countries must review plans urgently—consider entering before the deadline if eligible, consult immigration experts, and monitor for rare national-interest waivers granted at the Secretary of State's discretion, as advised by legal firms like Badmus Law.

Beyond entry bans, the U.S. Department of State's Travel Advisories, updated through late 2025, rate the overall U.S. as Level 1: Exercise normal precautions for most areas, but urge increased caution in spots like major cities for terrorism and crime, with Level 2 or higher for specific risks such as civil unrest in regions tied to recent events. Canada's travel.gc.ca echoes precautions for the new proclamation while noting general U.S. safety, and no broad domestic "do not travel" advisory exists, though localized alerts like heightened Venezuela-related security from U.S. embassies highlight fluid global influences on U.S. borders.

For safe travel, listeners from unrestricted nationalities enjoy mostly open access via the January 2026 Visa Bulletin, but all should enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program through STEP on USA.gov, verify visa status promptly, and prepare for potential delays amid these sweeping changes reshaping international mobility to America.

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI