Starting January 1, US President Donald Trump’s administration imposed a full and partial ban on foreign nationals from 39 countries. “The United States is suspending, in whole or in part, the entry and issuance of visas to citizens of 39 countries,” it said in a Dec. 19 statement.
On December 16, 2025, President Trump issued a proclamation restricting entry to the US to nationals of 39 countries and individuals traveling on travel documents issued by the Palestinian Authority (PA).
This decree, which entered into force on January 1, 2026, follows that of June 4, 2025, which suspended the entry of certain foreign nationals from 19 countries.
The list included countries whose nationals are subject to “total suspension” and “partial suspension”.
Initially, in June, foreign nationals from 12 countries were fully restricted, and seven countries were partially restricted from entering the US.
In December, the list expanded to include full restrictions and restrictions on entry to five additional countries: Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan and Syria.
The new list included Laos and Sierra Leone – which were previously subject to partial restrictions – in countries with full restrictions and entry restrictions.
It also added partial restrictions and entry restrictions to 15 other countries: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The new listhowever, it exempted Turkmenistan from the June “partial restrictions”. However, she said: “This new proclamation lifts the ban on his non-immigrant visas while maintaining the suspension of entry for Turkmen nationals as immigrants.”
Here’s the new list of 39 countries facing full and partial U.S. restrictions:
Fully Restricted CountriesAfghanistanEquatorial GuineaLibyaBurkinaSouth SudanBurmaEritreaSomaliaFasoSyriaChadHaitiSudanMaliLaosRepublic of the CongoIranYemenNigerSierra Leone Country with partial restrictionBurundiCubaBeninGabonMauritaniaTogoVenezuelaCôte d’IvoireGambiaNigeriaAngolaAntigua and BarbudaDominicaMalawiSenegalTanzaniaTongaZimbabwe
What happens to green card holders from these countries?
The exception in this case were green card holders. The administration’s fact sheet states: “The proclamation includes exemptions for eligible permanent residents (green card holders), existing visa holders, certain visa categories such as athletes and diplomats, and individuals whose entry serves the US national interest.”
However, the Trump administration said in November before revising the June list that it would reexamine green cards issued to individuals who migrated to the US from 19 countries.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services chief Joseph Edlow said on X that “at the direction” of the president, he ordered “a full-scale, rigorous review of every green card for every alien from every affected country.”
US lawyer warns of ‘another hurdle’
In a video posted on December 31, 2025, the US attorney said there was a major update regarding immigration, especially for those from one of the banned countries.
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) now applies broader discretionary review to cases filed by nationals of certain banned countries, the video’s caption said.
This affects status modification, status change and status extension.
“Immigration has just changed the way they’re going to look at adjustment of status, change of status, extension of status for any individual from a prohibited country,” said Brad Bernstein, who says he has more than 30 years of experience and is part of the legal team at the Spar and Bernstein law firms.
He said, “Even if you’re eligible for adjustment of status, say you’re from Haiti and you marry a US citizen and adjust your status, or from Nigeria and you want to extend your student status… Immigration will now add to the review of your application.”
“Positive and Negative Discretionary Factors”
Bernstein said there will be “additional hurdles” — an examination of the positive and negative factors that determine whether a person even deserves an immigration benefit just because “he was born in one of these countries.”
The attorney said those factors can include things like employment history, immigration history, violation status, community involvement and arrest records (even if they ended in release).
That means, according to the video, even if someone qualifies under the law, USCIS can still deny a case based on positive and negative discretionary factors, including immigration history, employment, family ties, community involvement and country-specific security concerns.
If you are outside the United States, the entry ban for individuals from these 19 banned countries is still in effect.
But if the person is in the US, you can file – but expect more scrutiny, more RFEs, and longer delays. Immigration cases are no longer routine for nationals of travel ban countries. Strategy and preparation matter more than ever.
What to do to overcome this ban?
Bernstein, the immigration attorney, said if you’re in the U.S. and want to adjust or extend your status or change your status, “be proactive.”
“Put all of these positive assets up front with your application. Things like family ties, employment history, proof that you’ve tried to follow the rules, letters of recommendation and good moral character. Letters from employers, family, friends, neighbors. Prove you’ve paid your taxes,” he said.
Bernstein said strategy matters and advised, “Don’t just fill out some forms.”
