US adds 7 more countries to full travel ban, from January 1, 2026

Washington: The White House announced Tuesday that US President Donald Trump has significantly expanded America’s travel ban, barring citizens from seven additional countries from entering the United States starting January 1.

In a statement, the White House said Trump signed a proclamation aimed at “expanding and strengthening entry restrictions” on countries deemed to have “persistent and severe deficiencies” in screening, vetting, and information-sharing.

In a statement, the Trump cited national security and public safety concerns.

Under the new order, a full travel ban will now apply to nationals from:

Newly added countries under the full ban:

The proclamation also blocks entry for individuals traveling on Palestinian Authority–issued documents.

Laos and Sierra Leone were previously under partial restrictions, but the new order upgrades both to a complete ban.

In addition, Trump imposed partial entry restrictions and visa limitations on 15 more countries. The White House did not immediately release the full list, as per a Reuters report.

The Proclamation continues the full restrictions and entry limitations of nationals from the original 12 high-risk countries established under Proclamation 10949:

The proclamation includes exceptions for lawful permanent residents, existing visa holders, certain visa categories like athletes and diplomats, and individuals whose entry serves US national interests.

The move comes despite Trump’s earlier pledge to help Syria stabilise following landmark talks in November with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former rebel leader who rose to power after the ouster of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad.

Sharaa has since sought international legitimacy, portraying himself as a unifying and moderate leader.

However, Trump struck a far tougher tone over the weekend, vowing “very serious retaliation” after the US military reported that two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter were killed in Syria in an attack blamed on a suspected Islamic State militant.

The White House said Syria’s inclusion in the ban was justified by high visa overstay rates, weak central authority, and inadequate systems for issuing passports and conducting security vetting.

“While Syria is working with the United States to address its security challenges,” the statement said, “it still lacks appropriate screening and vetting measures.”

The expanded ban marks one of the most sweeping immigration restrictions of Trump’s current term and is expected to trigger renewed legal and political challenges in the weeks ahead.

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 US 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.