Washington, D.C. — President Donald J. Trump on Tuesday December 16, 2025 signed a sweeping proclamation expanding U.S. entry restrictions on nationals from dozens of countries, citing national security, public safety, and persistent deficiencies in foreign screening and vetting systems. The move broadens an existing framework of country-specific restrictions first established during his previous administration and later restored with updated security assessments.
According to the White House, the proclamation is grounded in data from the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of State, and intelligence assessments evaluating terrorist activity, document reliability, information-sharing practices, and visa overstay rates. Administration officials described the policy as a “common-sense, data-driven” effort to protect Americans while encouraging foreign governments to improve cooperation with U.S. authorities.
Expanded List of Fully Restricted Countries
The proclamation maintains full entry restrictions on nationals from 12 countries previously identified as high risk: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
It adds five more countries to the full restriction category following updated analysis: Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, and Syria. In addition, individuals traveling on Palestinian Authority–issued or endorsed travel documents are now subject to full entry limitations, due to what the administration described as compromised vetting capabilities amid ongoing conflict and terrorist activity in the West Bank and Gaza.
Two countries that were previously under partial restrictions — Laos and Sierra Leone — have now been elevated to full restrictions.
Administration officials said these decisions were driven by factors including terrorist presence, armed conflict, high visa overstay rates, refusal to accept deported nationals, and the absence of reliable civil documentation systems.
Partial Restrictions Expanded
The proclamation also continues partial restrictions on four countries included in earlier measures: Burundi, Cuba, Togo, and Venezuela.
In addition, partial restrictions have been imposed on nationals from 15 more countries: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. These limitations apply to both immigrant visas and several nonimmigrant categories, including business, tourism, student, vocational, and exchange visitor visas.
Officials pointed to high overstay rates, weak border controls, limited government presence in certain regions, and, in some cases, citizenship-by-investment programs that allow individuals to obtain travel documents without meaningful residency or background checks.
Rationale and Legal Foundation
The White House emphasized that the policy includes broad exemptions for lawful permanent residents, existing visa holders, diplomats, athletes, and individuals whose entry serves U.S. national interests. Case-by-case waivers will remain available, though the proclamation narrows certain family-based immigrant visa carve-outs that officials say have been vulnerable to fraud.
President Trump defended the action as part of his constitutional duty to protect the country, stating that the United States must be able to reliably assess who is entering its borders. “When we lack sufficient information about individuals or cannot trust the integrity of foreign systems, we must act,” the proclamation states.
The administration also referenced the Supreme Court’s 2018 decision upholding similar travel restrictions from Trump’s first term, which found that such measures fall within presidential authority when based on legitimate national security concerns.
Encouraging Cooperation Abroad
Officials stressed that the restrictions are country-specific rather than blanket bans and are intended to incentivize cooperation. Countries that improve document security, share law-enforcement data, reduce overstay rates, and accept repatriation of removable nationals may see restrictions eased in the future.
“National security is not static,” a senior administration official said. “These measures can change as conditions change.”
The expanded restrictions are set to take effect following implementation guidance from the Departments of Homeland Security and State, marking one of the most extensive updates to U.S. travel policy in recent years.
According to the White House, the proclamation is grounded in data from the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of State, and intelligence assessments evaluating terrorist activity, document reliability, information-sharing practices, and visa overstay rates. Administration officials described the policy as a “common-sense, data-driven” effort to protect Americans while encouraging foreign governments to improve cooperation with U.S. authorities.
Expanded List of Fully Restricted Countries
The proclamation maintains full entry restrictions on nationals from 12 countries previously identified as high risk: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
It adds five more countries to the full restriction category following updated analysis: Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, and Syria. In addition, individuals traveling on Palestinian Authority–issued or endorsed travel documents are now subject to full entry limitations, due to what the administration described as compromised vetting capabilities amid ongoing conflict and terrorist activity in the West Bank and Gaza.
Two countries that were previously under partial restrictions — Laos and Sierra Leone — have now been elevated to full restrictions.
Administration officials said these decisions were driven by factors including terrorist presence, armed conflict, high visa overstay rates, refusal to accept deported nationals, and the absence of reliable civil documentation systems.
Partial Restrictions Expanded
The proclamation also continues partial restrictions on four countries included in earlier measures: Burundi, Cuba, Togo, and Venezuela.
In addition, partial restrictions have been imposed on nationals from 15 more countries: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. These limitations apply to both immigrant visas and several nonimmigrant categories, including business, tourism, student, vocational, and exchange visitor visas.
Officials pointed to high overstay rates, weak border controls, limited government presence in certain regions, and, in some cases, citizenship-by-investment programs that allow individuals to obtain travel documents without meaningful residency or background checks.
Turkmenistan Sees Partial Relief
In a notable shift, the proclamation eases restrictions on Turkmenistan. Nonimmigrant visa suspensions for Turkmen nationals have been lifted after what the administration described as “productive engagement” and measurable improvements in identity management and information-sharing. However, immigrant visa restrictions for Turkmenistan remain in place pending further progress.
In a notable shift, the proclamation eases restrictions on Turkmenistan. Nonimmigrant visa suspensions for Turkmen nationals have been lifted after what the administration described as “productive engagement” and measurable improvements in identity management and information-sharing. However, immigrant visa restrictions for Turkmenistan remain in place pending further progress.
Rationale and Legal Foundation
The White House emphasized that the policy includes broad exemptions for lawful permanent residents, existing visa holders, diplomats, athletes, and individuals whose entry serves U.S. national interests. Case-by-case waivers will remain available, though the proclamation narrows certain family-based immigrant visa carve-outs that officials say have been vulnerable to fraud.
President Trump defended the action as part of his constitutional duty to protect the country, stating that the United States must be able to reliably assess who is entering its borders. “When we lack sufficient information about individuals or cannot trust the integrity of foreign systems, we must act,” the proclamation states.
The administration also referenced the Supreme Court’s 2018 decision upholding similar travel restrictions from Trump’s first term, which found that such measures fall within presidential authority when based on legitimate national security concerns.
Encouraging Cooperation Abroad
Officials stressed that the restrictions are country-specific rather than blanket bans and are intended to incentivize cooperation. Countries that improve document security, share law-enforcement data, reduce overstay rates, and accept repatriation of removable nationals may see restrictions eased in the future.
“National security is not static,” a senior administration official said. “These measures can change as conditions change.”
The expanded restrictions are set to take effect following implementation guidance from the Departments of Homeland Security and State, marking one of the most extensive updates to U.S. travel policy in recent years.
