Trump Administration Unveils Sweeping New Travel Restrictions: Here’s What You Need to Know
At 78, President Trump has introduced a bold set of immigration measures aimed at reinforcing U.S. national security. The newly signed executive order—titled “Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats”—targets travelers from dozens of countries, dividing them into three distinct categories: complete travel bans, enhanced visa restrictions, and a 60-day compliance deadline.
🌐 Countries Facing Complete Travel Bans
Nationals from the following countries will be barred from entering the United States entirely, except under rare, exceptional circumstances:
- Afghanistan
- Bhutan
- Cuba
- Iran
- Libya
- North Korea
- Somalia
- Sudan
- Syria
- Venezuela
- Yemen
🛂 Countries with Stricter Visa Requirements
Travelers from these countries will face tougher visa vetting processes, including heightened background checks and extended processing times:
- Belarus
- Eritrea
- Haiti
- Laos
- Myanmar
- Pakistan
- Russia
- Sierra Leone
- South Sudan
- Turkmenistan
⏳ 60 Days to Comply: Countries on Notice
These countries have been given 60 days to align with U.S. traveler screening and data-sharing standards. Failure to meet these criteria by March 21 may result in further restrictions:
- Angola
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Benin
- Burkina Faso
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Cape Verde
- Chad
- Republic of the Congo
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Dominica
- Equatorial Guinea
- Gambia
- Liberia
- Malawi
- Mali
- Mauritania
- St. Kitts and Nevis
- St. Lucia
- São Tomé and Príncipe
- Vanuatu
- Zimbabwe
These sweeping changes follow a directive issued on January 20, mandating U.S. security agencies to evaluate foreign nations’ screening systems and track entries into the U.S. since January 2021. The goal? To tighten national borders and bolster public safety in an increasingly unpredictable global landscape.