US Entry Restrictions Now Cover 39 Countries: The Full Breakdown

A presidential proclamation signed on 16 December 2025 and effective from 1 January 2026 expanded the United States entry restriction regime. The current arrangement covers 39 countries, split between full bans and partial restrictions.

This piece sets out what the proclamation does. It takes no view on whether it should.

Two categories, not one
The most common error in coverage of this topic is treating all 39 countries as though they are subject to the same measure. They are not, and the distinction is fundamental.

Full entry bans prevent entry altogether for nationals of the country concerned, subject to the exceptions written into the proclamation.

Partial restrictions suspend specific visa categories while leaving others available. A national of a partially restricted country is not barred from the United States; they are barred from particular routes into it.

What changed on 1 January 2026
Haiti moved from partial restriction to a full entry ban, joining 16 other countries already under full restriction, bringing the full-ban group to 17.

Four countries were newly placed under partial restriction: Cuba, Venezuela, Antigua and Barbuda, and Dominica.

Burundi and Togo, already under partial restriction, remain there.

Which visa categories do the partial restrictions cover?
For the countries under partial restriction, the suspension applies to immigrant visas, and to the following non-immigrant categories: B-1 and B-2 (business and tourist visitors), F (academic students), M (vocational students) and J (exchange visitors).

The practical effect is that the routes most travellers use (tourism, business visits and study) are the ones closed. Other non-immigrant categories are not covered by the partial restriction.

How does this affect dual nationals?
This is the most frequent question and it does not have a single answer that fits every case. The treatment of dual nationals depends on the terms of the proclamation and on which passport is presented, and it is an area where individual circumstances matter considerably.

Anyone holding nationality of a listed country alongside another nationality should get advice specific to their situation rather than relying on a general statement.

What about people who already hold a US visa?
Proclamations of this kind have generally included provisions addressing visas issued before the effective date. Whether an existing visa remains usable depends on the specific terms and on the category held.

Holders of existing visas from affected countries should verify their position before making non-refundable travel arrangements, and should not assume that a visa in a passport remains operative.

Why the number keeps being reported differently
Because different outlets count differently. Some report only the full bans. Some count the full and partial lists together. Some include countries whose restrictions predate this proclamation.

The figure of 39 reflects the combined total under the current regime.

What this means in practice
For nationals of countries under full restriction, travel to the United States is not available through the ordinary routes.

For nationals of countries under partial restriction, tourism, business visits and study routes are suspended, and the practical answer for most travellers is that a US trip is not currently possible.

For everyone else, the proclamation changes nothing.

The wider point for travellers
Entry restriction lists are revised. Countries have been added and moved between categories more than once in recent years, and the direction is not always one way.

Anyone whose travel plans depend on the status of a listed country should verify the position close to the point of booking, and should be cautious about relying on any summary, including this one: written at a particular moment.

Alternatives
Travellers from affected countries planning international travel this year have options elsewhere, and a number of major destinations have moved in the opposite direction over the same period, expanding rather than narrowing access. Where the United States is not currently available, it is worth planning around what is.

Verified against the presidential proclamation of 16 December 2025 as published by the White House, effective 1 January 2026.