December 17, 2025 — Dalena Reporters
The United States government under President Donald J. Trump has expanded its entry restrictions to include 24 foreign countries, citing “persistent deficiencies in screening, vetting, and information-sharing” that the administration says pose threats to U.S. national security and public safety. The changes were announced in a new presidential proclamation and are set to take effect on January 1, 2026.
According to the official White House fact sheet, the expanded restrictions include both full travel bans and partial entry limitations on nationals of several countries whose vetting systems have been deemed inadequate.
🛂 Countries Under Full Entry Restrictions
The proclamation continues full entry suspensions previously in place and adds additional nations. Nationals of these countries are barred from entering the United States unless exempted under specific conditions (for example, if they are lawful U.S. permanent residents or already hold valid visas):
- Afghanistan
- Burma (Myanmar)
- Chad
- Republic of the Congo
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Haiti
- Iran
- Libya
- Somalia
- Sudan
- Yemen
- Burkina Faso
- Mali
- Niger
- South Sudan
- Syria
- Individuals using Palestinian Authority-issued travel documents
📉 Countries With Partial Entry Restrictions
These countries face limited travel privileges — such as bans on certain visa categories or stricter vetting — but are not subject to a complete entry ban. Exceptions may still apply for certain travellers whose entry is in the U.S. national interest. The partial restrictions affect nationals from:
- Angola
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Benin
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Dominica
- Gabon
- The Gambia
- Malawi
- Mauritania
- Nigeria
- Senegal
- Tanzania
- Tonga
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
- Burundi
- Cuba
- Togo
- Venezuela
🛂 Exceptions
The proclamation includes exemptions for categories of travellers such as:
- Lawful U.S. permanent residents (Green Card holders)
- Holders of valid visas already issued
- Diplomats and certain official representatives
- Individuals whose travel is deemed to serve U.S. national interests
- These exceptions are designed to avoid blanket prohibitions in specific cases.
📅 Implementation
The expanded list of travel restrictions will begin January 1, 2026, and follows earlier travel control measures announced by the Trump administration in June 2025 and throughout the year. Officialsstate the intent is to encourage improved security cooperation and information sharing among affected countries.
🌍 Reactions and Context
The move has drawn mixed reactions globally. Some analysts say the expanded restrictions reflect tightened U.S. immigration policy and increasing emphasis on security vetting. Others argue it may disrupt travel and diplomatic links with the affected nations. Nigerian commentators and public figures, for example, have urged citizens to engage constructively with policy adjustments and focus on national development amid the changes.