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President Donald Trump signed Proclamation 10949 on June 4, 2025, restricting entry of citizens from 19 countries into the United States. The measure took effect at 12:01 a.m. on June 9, 2025, as part of a renewed nationality-based immigration restriction agenda that defined his first term. For anyone planning to travel, study, or work in the U.S., understanding who is subject to the ban, who is exempt, and which exceptions apply can mean the difference between a stamped visa and a dead end at the consulate.
The 12 Nationalities Under a Full Ban
The proclamation fully suspended entry of nationals from the following countries, for both immigrant and nonimmigrant visas: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. The official rationale combines three arguments: high overstay rates, failure of local governments to share biometric and background information, and refusal to accept deportees returned by the United States.
For citizens of these 12 countries seeking a new visa, consular officers are generally required to deny issuance under Section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which authorizes the president to suspend entry of classes of foreign nationals deemed detrimental to the national interest.
The 7 Nationalities Under Partial Restrictions
Citizens of Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela face partial restrictions. For these nationalities, the proclamation suspended issuance of immigrant visas and nonimmigrant B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas. Other categories remain theoretically available, but the White House directed consular posts to apply shortened validity periods and heightened scrutiny.
Who Is Outside the Ban
The proclamation preserves several strategic categories. Even nationals from listed countries retain entry rights if they fall under one of the following exceptions:
- U.S. lawful permanent residents — that is, green card holders of any category.
- Dual nationals traveling on a passport from a non-listed country in which they hold valid citizenship.
- Athletes, coaches, and technical staff participating in major international competitions, including the FIFA Club World Cup (2025), the FIFA World Cup (2026), and the Olympics (2028).
- Diplomats and government officials holding A, G, C-2, C-3, or NATO visas.
- Persecuted religious and ethnic minorities from Iran, on special visas.
- Afghan nationals with Special Immigrant Visas in the SI or SQ categories, created for collaborators with U.S. forces.
- International adoptions finalized with U.S. citizens.
- National interest cases individually authorized by the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, or the Secretary of Homeland Security.
Visas issued before the effective date remain valid unless individually revoked. Individuals already in the United States under valid status on June 9, 2025 were not retroactively affected.
How the 2025 Ban Compares to 2017
In 2017, during his first term, Trump signed Executive Order 13769, initially affecting Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. After successive revisions and legal challenges, the final version covered North Korea, Venezuela, Chad, Syria, Libya, Iran, Yemen, and Somalia. The Supreme Court upheld the measure in Trump v. Hawaii (2018), recognizing presidential authority under Section 212(f). Joe Biden revoked the ban in January 2021 via Proclamation 10141.
The 2025 version comes with a broader list and a stronger legal framework: the legal team crafted objective inclusion criteria — overstay rates, consular cooperation, refusal to accept deportees — to reduce exposure to the religious discrimination claims that plagued the first ban. This design has made legal challenges more difficult, and as of April 2026 the proclamation remained in effect without any broad injunction blocking its enforcement.
The Triggering Event
The administration cited as immediate context the attack that occurred on June 1, 2025 in Boulder, Colorado, when pro-Israel demonstrators were targeted by a man using Molotov cocktails. The suspect, an Egyptian national, was in the United States on an expired B-2 visa with a lapsed work authorization. Notably, Egypt was not included in the list — a fact cited by specialized press as evidence that the proclamation selects countries based on governmental cooperation criteria, not the national origin of perpetrators in individual incidents.
Reactions and Practical Impact
The governments of Venezuela, Somalia, and Myanmar issued official statements of protest and sought dialogue. Venezuela designated the United States as a high-risk destination for its citizens. Somalia adopted a more diplomatic tone, signaling willingness to cooperate with Washington on security and data sharing. American universities and sports leagues lobbied for stable application of the F-1, J-1, and athlete exceptions.
For global mobility professionals, the most relevant practical effect is this: nationality has become a risk variable in immigration planning. Anyone holding citizenship from a listed country and currently in a consular pipeline needs to assess dual nationality options, in-country adjustment of status where eligible, and third-country processing where viable. Companies sponsoring nationals of these countries in H-1B, L-1, or O-1 categories should strengthen case-by-case eligibility reviews, because even permitted categories face consular interviews under heightened scrutiny.
The Underlying Signal
Nationality-based travel bans have re-emerged as a recurring executive policy tool in the United States. The 2025 proclamation is not an isolated episode — it is part of a broader architecture that includes digital vetting reviews, expanded social media screening for visa applications, and a hardened overstay enforcement posture. For those targeting the United States as a destination, the most resilient strategy is to build pathways grounded in immigration categories established by statute and in individual qualifications — specialized employment, investment, merit — that depend less on executive programs vulnerable to changes in administration.
Victoria Harper
Editor-in-Chief
Leading journalism and editorial content at Visto n’ Visa, Victoria helps make immigration topics clear, trustworthy, and easy to understand. Her focus is on delivering useful, human, and relevant content for people exploring new paths abroad.
