On December 16, 2025, President Trump executed a Presidential Proclamation expanding administration’s full and partial suspensions of immigrant and nonimmigrant visa issuance announced this past June to an additional twenty countries and the Palestinian Authority. With this expansion, there are now more than 35 countries subject to US travel restrictions. The new travel ban will be effective as of January 1, 2026.
Read moreTrump Administration Pauses Immigration Applications for Travelers From Restricted Countries
On December 2, 2025, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) paused processing of several types of immigration applications, including asylum, green cards, and citizenship requests, for individuals from 19 countries previously restricted under the administration’s updated travel policies while USCIS conducts additional security reviews. The decision comes after an Afghan national, who had been granted humanitarian parole into the United States based on his work with CIA counterterrorism unit in Afghanistan after the fall of Kabul, and subsequently granted asylum in April 2025, under the Trump administration, was identified as the November 26th shooter in Washington, D.C., that killed one National Guard member and left another in critical condition.
Read morePresident Trump’s New Travel Restrictions
On June 4, 2025 the Trump Administration signed a proclamation barring nationals from twelve countries, primarily from Africa and the Middle East, from entry into the US and restricting the entry of nationals hailing from seven other countries. The travel ban is set to go into effect as 12:01 AM EST on Monday, June 9, 2025.
Read moreThe New York Times: “Colleges Warn Foreign Students to Get to Campus Before Trump Takes Office”
Ahead of President Trump’s upcoming inauguration on January 20, 2025, some universities, including Harvard, USC, and Cornell are advising their international student body to prepare to return to campus from their winter breaks before Trump is sworn in to office. The warnings are a result of Trump’s expressed desire to reimpose a travel ban previously instituted during his first term as President and ended by President Biden when he took office.
Read moreProof of COVID-19 Vaccination Required for All Foreign Travelers at US Land Borders
Effective January 22, 2022, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) will require non-US citizens traveling across the land border for both essential and non-essential reasons to be fully vaccinated. The recent announcement confirms, “[t]hese new restrictions will apply to non-U.S. individuals who are traveling for both essential and non-essential reasons. They will not apply to U.S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents, or U.S. nationals.”
All foreign national travelers, whether traveling for non-essential or essential reasons, must attest to their vaccination status and to present proof of vaccination to CBP officers upon request. To be considered fully vaccinated, fourteen days must have passed since the traveler’s final shot of their vaccine. CBP follows the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (“CDC”) protocols regarding acceptable “proof of vaccination, including which vaccines are permissible.”
Pre-arrival COVID-19 testing is not required for entry via a land port of entry or ferry terminal.
Monday was a Day for Reunions
We Will Maintain Existing Travel Restrictions
COVID-19 Travel Restrictions to Continue
After speaking with a White House official, David Shepardson of Reuters reports that “[t]he United States will not lift any existing travel restrictions ‘at this point’ due to concerns over the highly transmissible COVID-19 Delta variant and the rising number of U.S. coronavirus cases.” According to Mr. Shepardson’s source in the White House, the decision came after a senior level White House meeting on Friday, the 23rd of July.
Read moreDepartment of State Expands Validity Period of National Interest Exceptions for Certain Travelers
On July 6th, the Department of State announced it was expanding the validity period and number of uses of the national interest exceptions (NIEs) granted to individuals traveling from countries affected by the current COVID-19 travel restrictions. Previously the NIEs were valid for one trip within 30 days of being granted. The new announcement permits multiple entries within the 12 months after the NIE is granted. The expansion is effective immediately.
The change in policy affects NIEs issued to those present in the following countries within 14 days of trying to enter the United States: Brazil, China, India, Iran, South Africa, the Schengen Area, the United Kingdom, and Ireland.
Read moreBiden Administration to Restrict Travel from India Effective May 4, 2021
On April 30, 2021, President Biden issued a Presidential Proclamation which imposes COVID-19-related travel restrictions on certain individuals traveling into the US from India effective Tuesday, May 4, 2021, in an effort to prevent the further spread of COVID-19. The proclamation restricts and suspends the entry into the US of nonimmigrants and noncitizens of the US who were physically present within India during the fourteen-day period preceding their entry or attempted entry into the United States.
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