President Donald Trump has expanded the United States travel ban, adding five more countries and individuals travelling on Palestinian Authority-issued or endorsed documents to the list of those barred from entering the US.
According to the White House, the expanded restrictions are aimed at “protecting the security of the United States” and will take effect on 1 January.
Under the new measures, full entry bans will apply to nationals of Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan and Syria, as well as holders of Palestinian Authority travel documents.
In addition, Laos and Sierra Leone, which were previously subject to partial restrictions, have been moved to the full-ban category. The administration has also imposed partial travel restrictions on 15 other countries, including Nigeria, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.
President Trump, who has tightened immigration controls since returning to the White House in January, said the expansion was necessary due to what his administration described as serious shortcomings in screening and vetting systems abroad. US officials cited high visa overstay rates, unreliable civil documentation, corruption, terrorist activity, and limited cooperation in accepting deported nationals.
The announcement followed the arrest of an Afghan national suspected of shooting two National Guard troops over the Thanksgiving weekend, an incident the White House referenced in underscoring its security concerns.
This marks the third time President Trump has imposed a travel ban. During his first term, a similar policy introduced in 2017 sparked widespread protests and legal challenges but was ultimately upheld by the US Supreme Court.
The White House said the restrictions will remain in place until affected countries demonstrate “credible improvements” in identity verification, information-sharing, and cooperation with US immigration authorities.
Officials stressed that several exemptions apply. The ban will not affect lawful permanent residents, many current visa holders, diplomats, or athletes participating in major international sporting events. Case-by-case waivers will also be available where travel is deemed to be in the US national interest.
Countries with Full Entry Restrictions
Afghanistan; Burkina Faso; Burma; Chad; Equatorial Guinea; Eritrea; Haiti; Iran; Laos; Libya; Mali; Niger; Republic of the Congo; Sierra Leone; Somalia; South Sudan; Sudan; Syria; Yemen.
Individuals travelling on Palestinian Authority-issued or endorsed documents are also subject to a full suspension of entry.
Countries with Partial Restrictions
Angola; Antigua and Barbuda; Benin; Burundi; Côte d’Ivoire; Cuba; Dominica; Gabon; The Gambia; Malawi; Mauritania; Nigeria; Senegal; Tanzania; Togo; Tonga; Venezuela; Zambia; Zimbabwe.
Special Case
Turkmenistan — restrictions remain in place for immigrant visas but have been lifted for non-immigrant visas.
