The White House
December 16, 2025
STRENGTHENING NATIONAL SECURITY THROUGH COMMON SENSE RESTRICTIONS BASED ON DATA:
Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a Proclamation expanding and strengthening entry restrictions on nationals from countries with demonstrated, persistent, and severe deficiencies in screening, vetting, and information-sharing to protect the Nation from national security and public safety threats.
The Proclamation continues the full restrictions and entry limitations of nationals from the original 12 high-risk countries established under Proclamation 10949: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
It adds full restrictions and entry limitations on 5 additional countries based on recent analysis: Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, and Syria.
It also adds full restrictions and entry limitations on individuals holding Palestinian-Authority-issued travel documents.
It imposes full restrictions and entry limitations on 2 countries that were previously subject to partial restrictions: Laos and Sierra Leone.
The Proclamation continues partial restrictions of nationals from 4 of the 7 original high-risk countries: Burundi, Cuba, Togo, and Venezuela.
Because Turkmenistan has engaged productively with the United States and demonstrated significant progress since the previous Proclamation, this new Proclamation lifts the ban on its nonimmigrant visas, while maintaining the suspension of entry for Turkmen nationals as immigrants.
It adds partial restrictions and entry limitations on 15 additional countries: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
The Proclamation includes exceptions for lawful permanent residents, existing visa holders, certain visa categories like athletes and diplomats, and individuals whose entry serves U.S. national interests.
The Proclamation narrows broad family-based immigrant visa carve-outs that carry demonstrated fraud risks, while preserving case-by-case waivers.
SECURING OUR BORDERS AND INTERESTS: The restrictions and limitations imposed by the Proclamation are necessary to prevent the entry of foreign nationals about whom the United States lacks sufficient information to assess the risks they pose, garner cooperation from foreign governments, enforce our immigration laws, and advance other important foreign policy, national security, and counterterrorism objectives.
It is the President’s duty to take action to ensure that those seeking to enter our country will not harm the American people.
After consulting with cabinet officials and in light of the original report pursuant to Executive Order 14161, Proclamation 10949, and country-specific information gathered since, President Trump has determined that the entry of nationals from additional countries must be restricted or limited to protect U.S. national security and public safety interests.
The restrictions are country-specific in order to encourage cooperation with the subject countries in recognition of each country’s unique circumstances.
Many of the restricted countries suffer from widespread corruption, fraudulent or unreliable civil documents and criminal records, and nonexistent birth-registration systems—systemically preventing accurate vetting.
Some nations refuse to share passport exemplars or law-enforcement data, while others permit Citizenship-by-Investment schemes that conceal identity and bypass vetting requirements and travel restrictions.
Some countries’ high visa-overstay rates and refusal to repatriate removable nationals demonstrate disregard for U.S. immigration laws and burden American enforcement resources.
Terrorist presence, criminal activity, and extremist activity in several listed countries result in a general lack of stability and government control—which causes deficient vetting capabilities and poses direct risks to American citizens and interests when nationals from these countries are admitted to the United States.
MAKING AMERICA SAFE AGAIN: President Trump is keeping his promise to restore travel restrictions on dangerous countries and to secure our borders.
In his first term, President Trump imposed travel restrictions that restricted entry from several countries with inadequate vetting processes or that posed significant security risks.
The Supreme Court upheld the travel restrictions put in place in the prior Administration, ruling that it “is squarely within the scope of Presidential authority” and noting that it is “expressly premised on legitimate purposes”—namely, “preventing entry of nationals who cannot be adequately vetted and inducing other nations to improve their practices.”
In June 2025, President Trump restored the travel restrictions from his first-term, incorporating an updated assessment of current global screening, vetting, and security risks.
JUSTIFICATION FOR FULL SUSPENSION
Burkina Faso
According to the Department of State, terrorist organizations continue to plan and conduct terrorist activities throughout Burkina Faso.
According to the Fiscal Year 2024, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Entry/Exit Overstay Report (“Overstay Report”), Burkina Faso had a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 9.16 percent and a student (F), vocational (M), and exchange visitor (J) visa overstay rate of 22.95 percent. Additionally, Burkina Faso has historically refused to accept back its removable nationals.
Laos
According to the Overstay Report, Laos had a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 28.34 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 11.41 percent. According to the Fiscal Year 2023, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Entry/Exit Overstay Report (“2023 Overstay Report”), Laos had a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 34.77 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 6.49 percent. Additionally, Laos has historically failed to accept back its removable nationals.
Mali
According to the Department of State, armed conflict between the Malian government and armed groups is common throughout the country. Terrorist organizations operate freely in certain areas of Mali.
Niger
According to the Department of State, terrorists and their supporters are active in planning kidnappings in Niger, and they may attack anywhere in the country. According to the Overstay Report, Niger had a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 13.41 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 16.46 percent.
Sierra Leone
According to the Overstay Report, Sierra Leone had a B-1/B-2 overstay rate of 16.48 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 35.83 percent. According to the 2023 Overstay Report, Sierra Leone had a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 15.43 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 35.83 percent. Additionally, Sierra Leone has historically failed to accept back its removable nationals.
South Sudan
According to the Overstay Report, South Sudan had a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 6.99 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 26.09 percent. Additionally, South Sudan has historically failed to accept back its removable nationals.
Syria
Syria is emerging from a protracted period of civil unrest and internal strife. While the country is working to address its security challenges in close coordination with the United States, Syria still lacks an adequate central authority for issuing passports or civil documents and does not have appropriate screening and vetting measures. According to the Overstay Report, Syria had a B1/B2 visa overstay rate of 7.09 percent and a F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 9.34 percent.
Palestinian Authority Documents
Several U.S.-designated terrorist groups operate actively in the West Bank or Gaza Strip and have murdered American citizens. Also, the recent war in these areas likely resulted in compromised vetting and screening abilities. In light of these factors, and considering the weak or nonexistent control exercised over these areas by the PA, individuals attempting to travel on PA-issued or endorsed travel documents cannot currently be properly vetted and approved for entry into the United States.
JUSTIFICATION FOR PARTIAL SUSPENSION (Immigrants and Nonimmigrants on B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J Visas)
Angola
According to the Overstay Report, Angola had a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 14.43 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 21.92 percent.
Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua and Barbuda has historically had Citizenship by Investment (CBI) without residency.
Benin
According to the Overstay Report, Benin had a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 12.34 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 36.77 percent.
Cote d’Ivoire
According to the Overstay Report, Cote d’Ivoire had a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 8.47 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 19.09 percent.
Dominica
Dominica has historically had CBI without residency.
Gabon
According to the Overstay Report, Gabon had a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 13.72 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 17.77 percent.
The Gambia
According to the Overstay Report, The Gambia had a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 12.70 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 38.79 percent. Additionally, The Gambia has historically refused to accept back its removable nationals.
Malawi
According to the Overstay Report, Malawi had a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 22.45 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 31.99 percent.
Mauritania
According to the Overstay Report, Mauritania had a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 9.49 percent. According to the Department of State, the Government of Mauritania has little presence in certain parts of the country, which creates substantial screening and vetting difficulties.
Nigeria
Radical Islamic terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State operate freely in certain parts of Nigeria, which creates substantial screening and vetting difficulties.
According to the Overstay Report, Nigeria had a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 5.56 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 11.90 percent.
Senegal
According to the Overstay Report, Senegal had a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 4.30 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 13.07 percent.
Tanzania
According to the Overstay Report, Tanzania had a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 8.30 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 13.97 percent.
Tonga
According to the Overstay Report, Tonga had a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 6.45 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 14.44 percent.
Turkmenistan
Since the issuance of Proclamation 10949, Turkmenistan has engaged productively with the United States and demonstrated significant progress in improving its identity-management and information-sharing procedures.
The suspension of entry into the United States of nationals of Turkmenistan as nonimmigrants on B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas is lifted. Because some concerns remain, the entry into the United States of nationals of Turkmenistan as immigrants remains suspended.
Zambia
According to the Overstay Report, Zambia had a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 10.73 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 21.02 percent.
Zimbabwe
According to the Overstay Report, Zimbabwe had a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 7.89 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 15.15 percent.
Source: White House