What the US Travel Bans Mean and Who Gets Stopped at the Border?
Travel bans are not new to the Trump administration; the president was known for his bans
back in 2017, which included countries like Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.
In the past, he has stated it was a move to counteract terrorism, but his new wave of bans in 2025 has been a part of his goal of securing the border. State Department spokeswoman
Tammy Bruce confirmed that the move was in response to countries that have not strengthened their passport vetting procedures, cooperated in accepting deported nationals from the US, and taken additional measures to ensure their citizens do not pose a threat to American security—there have also been comments made that the ban is being used to combat visa overstays.
One of the key differences in his 2017 vs. 2025 bans is the number of countries that will experience travel restrictions; in the past, only 7 countries were affected, but the new ban extends to 40 countries in total.
Some of these are full restrictions, while some are only partial; it’s important that you learn which countries are affected and what that means.
Back in June, Proclamation 10949 put full entry restrictions on 12 “high-risk” countries:
Afghanistan, Burma (Myanmar), Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen In a fact sheet published on the White House website, the administration added 8 countries to the full ban list and stated their “justification for full suspension.”
This includes (in order of appearance): Burkina Faso, Laos, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Syria, and Palestine. Many of these countries are experiencing conflict within their own borders or have high overstay rates. If you’re not familiar with the consequences of a full ban, it comes in many shapes and sizes. One of the major impacts will be the block of most visas, like tourist or business visas (B-1/B-2), student or exchange visas (F, M, J), or work visas; even if someone already has a visa, there is still a possibility that they will be denied entry.
Although countries are listed in the ban, it’s not the actual nation that is banned, but more so their citizens; this means that it does not matter what country they’re traveling to the US from— if their country of citizenship is listed, they will be blocked.
There are still some exceptions to this rule, like US green card holders, diplomats, and people with dual citizenship travelling on a non-banned passport. This will block many refugees and asylum seekers, but there are also case-by-case waivers for international or humanitarian reasons, that is to say, you still should not rely on these waivers because they are very limited and given on a discretionary basis.
Even if it's not listed as an official consequence, these bans will undoubtedly lead to the separation of many families.
In the same proclamation from June, there are 5 countries listed as having a partial ban:
Burundi, Cuba, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
There is also a list from the White House fact sheet titled a “justification for partial suspension” for the additional 15 countries: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. In relation to visas, the categories most likely to be blocked by the ban are B-1 / B-2 / B-1-B-2 (tourism and short-term business visas) and F, M, J (students, vocational students, exchange visitors visas).
The exception to visa blocks is a little broader than the full ban and includes some work visas, US green card holders, diplomats, and people with dual citizenship traveling on a non-banned passport.
If you are currently a US citizen or green card holder, these bans will not affect you because
they are bans on nationals from that country, not travellers. Travel bans are usually discussed in complex policy terms, but their impacts are most clearly understood when coming to certain stages in the immigration process.
When countries are covered by the ban, first-time visa applicants will feel the effects most because embassies will stop issuing the banned visas.
International students will also face major complications, as many will have already been
accepted to universities, paid tuition, or begun their studies, but the block of student visas will likely cost them many opportunities, including their admissions spot or scholarships.
Those with family-based petitions are not guaranteed entry if their country is banned, which means the final step in the visa process may be blocked for an unknown period of time.
Although travel bans are painted as a broad security measure, most of the time, those who are stopped at the border are students, families, and individuals seeking safety or opportunity. The rules have been changing quickly; they can be hard to keep up with, vary by visa category, and include narrow exceptions and discretionary waivers.
The outcome for any individual case is not always obvious from the information that is given, and small details— such as the type of visa sought, previous travel history, or family ties in the United States— can make a significant difference in how a ban is applied. An immigration attorney can help break down how a travel ban applies to your nationality, visa category, and immigration history, and decide whether exceptions, waivers, or alternative pathways may be available. Legal guidance can also help families understand timelines, preserve eligibility, and avoid unnecessary denials or prolonged separation.
