Mumbai, December 17: US President Donald Trump signed a presidential proclamation on Tuesday, December 16, significantly expanding travel and entry restrictions on foreign nationals from countries deemed to have "severe deficiencies" in security screening and information-sharing. The "travel ban" order more than doubles the number of affected nations, bringing the total to 39, and is set to take effect on January 1, 2026. Below is the full list of countries affected by Donald Trump's "travel ban" or travel restrictions.

The new proclamation maintains the total entry ban for the 12 countries identified in the administration’s earlier June 2025 order (Proclamation 10949). It adds five new nations to the "full restriction" category and elevates two others from partial to full bans. Additionally, for the first time, full restrictions have been imposed on individuals holding travel documents issued by the Palestinian Authority. ‘The Best Is Yet to Come’, Says US President Donald Trump As He Will Address Nation From White House Today.

Countries facing full entry bans now include:

Original 12: Afghanistan, Burma (Myanmar), Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.

New Additions: Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, and Syria.

Elevated from Partial: Laos and Sierra Leone.

Travel Documents: Individuals using Palestinian Authority-issued documents.

New Partial Restrictions

The administration also introduced partial restrictions for 15 additional countries, largely citing high visa overstay rates or lack of cooperation in accepting deported nationals. Citizens of these nations may face limitations on specific visa categories, such as immigrant visas or certain non-immigrant business and tourist visas.

The 15 newly restricted countries are: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Meanwhile, partial restrictions remain in place for Burundi, Cuba, Togo, and Venezuela. In a notable exception, restrictions were eased for Turkmenistan; the ban on non-immigrant visas was lifted following "productive engagement," though the suspension of immigrant visas remains. Donald Trump Vows ‘Permanent Halt’ on Migration From ‘Third World Countries’, Promises Mass Deportations and End to Benefits for Noncitizens in Fiery Thanksgiving Message.

Exemptions and Waivers

The proclamation includes several specific carve-outs to ensure the restrictions do not interfere with certain U.S. interests or legal obligations. Exemptions apply to:

  • Lawful permanent residents (Green Card holders).

  • Individuals with valid, existing visas.

  • Certain diplomatic and official visa categories.

  • Athletes and staff participating in major international sporting events (such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup).

While the order narrows broad family-based immigrant visa exceptions - which the White House claims carry "demonstrated fraud risks" - it preserves a case-by-case waiver system for individuals whose entry is deemed in the national interest.

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(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 17, 2025 04:35 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).