The United States has announced a sweeping suspension of visa issuance and entry for foreign nationals from 39 countries, effective January 1, 2026, as part of heightened security measures under Presidential Proclamation 10998.
The directive, issued on December 19, 2025, and titled “Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States,” takes effect at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. It expands and modifies earlier restrictions imposed under Presidential Proclamation 10949, which remains in force except where superseded by the new order.
According to the U.S. Department of State, the policy is aimed at strengthening national security through more rigorous, security-focused screening and vetting procedures to ensure that individuals granted visas do not pose a risk to public safety.
Under the proclamation, the United States will fully suspend visa issuance for nationals of 19 countries—Afghanistan, Burma, Burkina Faso, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria and Yemen—as well as individuals travelling on documents issued or endorsed by the Palestinian Authority. The suspension applies to both immigrant and non-immigrant visas, with limited exemptions.
The exemptions include certain diplomatic and official visas, immigrant visas for ethnic and religious minorities facing persecution in Iran, dual nationals applying with passports from non-restricted countries, Special Immigrant Visas for eligible U.S. government employees, participants in major international sporting events and lawful permanent residents.
In addition, the United States will partially suspend visa issuance to nationals of another 19 countries—Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The partial suspension affects B-1/B-2 visitor visas, F, M and J student and exchange visitor visas, as well as all immigrant visas, subject to similar limited exceptions.
Nationals of Turkmenistan will also face a partial suspension affecting all immigrant visas, with exemptions aligned with those granted to other partially restricted countries.
The proclamation further removes certain categorical exemptions previously available under Proclamation 10949, including immediate family immigrant visas, adoption-related visas and Afghan Special Immigrant Visas.
U.S. authorities clarified that the new measures apply only to foreign nationals who are outside the United States on the effective date and who do not hold valid visas at that time. Individuals with valid visas issued before January 1, 2026, are not affected, and no previously issued visas will be revoked under the proclamation.
The Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of Homeland Security, retains discretionary authority to grant exceptions on a case-by-case basis where travel is deemed to serve U.S. national interests. Similar discretion may be exercised by the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Attorney General in cases involving critical national interest considerations.
The Department of State noted that affected individuals may still submit visa applications and attend interviews, but warned that such applicants may be found ineligible for visa issuance or entry into the United States under the new policy.
