The U.S. government maintains travel restrictions for certain countries and is reportedly considering expanding these restrictions to additional nations. This FAQ provides an up-to-date list along with practical guidance for affected individuals and employers.
1. Which countries are currently under a U.S. Travel Ban?
As of June 15, 2025, the following 12 countries are subject to active U.S. travel bans or significant entry restrictions:
- Iran — all immigrant and most nonimmigrant visas suspended.
- North Korea — all immigrant and nonimmigrant visas suspended.
- Syria — all immigrant and most nonimmigrant visas suspended.
- Libya — certain nonimmigrant visas (B-1/B-2, tourist/business) suspended.
- Yemen — certain immigrant and nonimmigrant visas suspended.
- Somalia — immigrant visas suspended; nonimmigrant visas require enhanced vetting.
- Venezuela — certain government officials and their families restricted for B-1/B-2 visas.
- Chad — removed from past bans but flagged for re-inclusion; some entry restrictions persist.
- Iraq — removed from the ban but subject to heightened vetting; possible reinstatement.
- Sudan — past ban lifted but commonly proposed for re-inclusion.
- Myanmar (Burma) — targeted under regional sanctions and flagged for full travel restrictions.
- Nigeria — immigrant visa restrictions previously applied; possible broader restrictions expected.
2. Which additional countries are reportedly under consideration for a new or expanded ban?
Based on credible policy reports, the following countries are among those identified for possible future restrictions — bringing the total to about 36 countries if fully implemented:
- Belarus
- Burundi
- Central African Republic
- Chad (also listed above)
- Congo (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
- Congo (Republic of the Congo)
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Liberia
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Niger
- Pakistan
- Philippines
- Russia
- Saudi Arabia
- South Sudan
- Sri Lanka
- Sudan (also listed above)
- Tanzania
- Uzbekistan
- Zimbabwe
3. What does the travel ban do?
- The existing travel ban of 12 countries applies to individuals who are outside the U.S. without a valid visa as of June 9, 2025.
- Expansion to 36 countries potentially applies to individuals who are outside the U.S. without a valid visa as of August 13, 2025 or on a later effective date thereafter.
- Suspends visa issuance (some or all visa types).
- Bars entry to the U.S. for certain nationals, even with valid visas in some cases.
- Provides case-by-case waivers — difficult to obtain and discretionary.
- Does not normally apply to U.S. lawful permanent residents (green card holders) — but re-entry can still face extra scrutiny.
4. Who should be concerned?
- Nationals or dual nationals of a listed country.
- Those who have recently traveled to a listed country.
- Employers sponsoring employees from affected countries.
- Students, family members, or others seeking U.S. visas from these countries.
5. What should you do now?
- Avoid non-essential international travel if you may be affected.
- Check visa status and upcoming appointments with counsel before traveling.
- Employers: Identify impacted employees and ensure return from-abroad before the expiration of the 60 day determination period on or near August 13, 2025. Do not travel without an already valid visa to countries previously banned and ensure attorney support for such necessary travel.
- Consult an immigration attorney for waiver options or urgent travel cases.
- Stay alert: Changes can take effect immediately after a new presidential proclamation which can happen at any time under this administration.
6. How can PLG help?
We monitor all travel ban updates daily. We can help you:
- Confirm current restrictions for you or your employees.
- File waiver applications if possible.
- Develop alternative immigration or travel strategies.
- Communicate rapid updates if new countries are added.
Peter F. Asaad, Esq. is a Partner at PLG with twenty years of experience in corporate immigration law. Specifically, he has substantial expertise addressing work authorization needs and corporate compliance, including hiring and retention under appropriate visa categories for employment in the U.S. to maintain work authorization, and I-9 compliance to stay clear of costly regulatory violations.
Mr. Asaad has extensive experience developing and managing corporate immigration programs for multinational companies. His background includes representing corporations to develop and manage streamlined H-1B, L-1A and other temporary work visas as well as permanent status through green card sponsorship while maintaining corporate compliance.
Mr. Asaad is sought out by organizations due to his reputation for proactive management, responsive communication, and his deep understanding of immigration law to ensure compliance and a streamlined process. Indeed, he has been recognized by the American Bar Association (ABA) “as one of the nation’s leading” attorneys in the field of immigration law and by the American Bar Foundation (ABF) as among the “top one-third of one percent” of the lawyers in Washington, DC. He is listed as a top Corporate Immigration Lawyer by Who’s Who, and ranked a top-rated AV lawyer by Martindale-Hubbell. He has also been recognized among Washingtonian Magazine’s “Top Lawyers” in immigration law for over a decade and listed in The Best Lawyers in America®: Immigration Law. Mr. Asaad is past president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), DC Chapter, where he furthered the education needs of over 900 immigration lawyers. Prior to holding this position, Mr. Asaad served as Co-Chair of the American Bar Association (ABA) Immigration Litigation Committee for several years and served as Chair of the DC Bar Immigration & Human Rights Committee. Mr. Asaad developed and taught an advanced course on business immigration as Adjunct Law Professor at American University, Washington College of Law. Mr. Asaad is the architect of the IN2NYC program and former Special Counsel to New York City. On behalf of the Mayor of New York City and the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), in partnership with the City University of New York (CUNY) and New York University (NYU), he developed and launched IN2NYC, the first municipal visa program in the nation of its kind designed to help international entrepreneurs collaborate with universities to create jobs in the United States.
