Trump Expands US Travel Ban to Five More Countries

Washington, DC — President Donald Trump has expanded a US travel ban, barring nationals of five additional countries and people travelling on Palestinian Authority–issued documents from entering the United States. The new measures are set to take effect on 1 January, according to the White House.

The administration said the restrictions are intended “to protect the security of the United States,” citing concerns over overseas screening and vetting processes.

What’s Changing

Full-entry restrictions will now apply to nationals of:

• Burkina Faso
• Mali
• Niger
• South Sudan
• Syria

Individuals travelling on Palestinian Authority–issued or endorsed travel documents are also subject to a full suspension of entry.

In addition, Laos and Sierra Leone—previously under partial restrictions—have been moved to the full ban list.

The administration has also imposed partial restrictions on 15 other countries, including Nigeria, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe.

Why the Ban Was Expanded

President Trump, who has tightened immigration controls since returning to the White House in January, said the expanded ban was necessary due to what officials described as persistent weaknesses in foreign vetting systems.

US officials cited several concerns, including:

• High visa overstay rates
• Unreliable or incomplete civil records
• Corruption within issuing authorities
• Terrorist activity
• 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 rationale.

A Familiar Policy

This marks the third time President Trump has imposed a travel ban. During his first term, a similar order introduced in 2017 triggered widespread protests and legal challenges in the US and abroad. That policy was ultimately upheld by the US Supreme Court.

The White House said the current restrictions will remain in place until affected countries demonstrate “credible improvements” in identity management, information-sharing, and cooperation with US immigration authorities.

Exemptions and Waivers

The ban includes several exceptions. It does not apply to:

• Lawful permanent residents (green card holders)
• Many existing visa holders
• Diplomats
• Athletes travelling for major international sporting events

Officials said case-by-case waivers will also be available where travel is deemed to be in the national interest.

Countries Under Full 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 travel documents are also fully restricted.

Countries Under 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.

Related coverage:

• Trump travel ban barring citizens from 12 countries takes effect
• What Trump’s travel ban could mean for global sport
• What we know about Trump’s latest travel ban
• Experts: Trump’s new ban avoids legal pitfalls of earlier attempt

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