United States announces new visa restrictions for national security reasons
The United States announced new restrictions on the issuance of visas for national security reasons through Presidential Proclamation 10998, which will take effect on January 1, 2026, according to the U.S. Department of State. The measure fully or partially suspends the issuance of visas and entry into the country for citizens of 39 countries, expanding previously existing restrictions.
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The full suspension of visa issuance —both immigrant and nonimmigrant, with very limited exceptions— will apply to citizens of: Afghanistan, Burma (Myanmar), 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 persons traveling with documents issued or endorsed by the Palestinian Authority.
Separately, the proclamation establishes a partial suspension for citizens of 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, affecting mainly tourist, student, exchange, and most immigrant visas. In addition, Turkmenistan is subject to a partial suspension limited solely to immigrant visas.
The restrictions do not apply to individuals who already hold a valid visa issued before January 1, 2026, nor to lawful permanent residents. Likewise, the government retains the authority to authorize travel on a case-by-case basis when it determines that a relevant national interest exists, according to information published by the White House.
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