Travel bans: which countries are affected and what it means for family visas

This page is general information, not legal advice. Rules like these can change with little notice. Check the State Department page before any step, and talk to a lawyer.

What is the travel ban?

It is Presidential Proclamation 10998, signed December 16, 2025, which took effect January 1, 2026 at 12:01 a.m. Eastern. It suspends visas for nationals of listed countries (State Department, checked October 21, 2026). It replaced the categorical family exceptions in an earlier 2025 proclamation (Proclamation 10949).

It applies to people who were outside the U.S. on January 1, 2026 and did not have a valid visa that day. The State Department says no visa issued before that date has been or will be revoked under it.

When we read the State Department page on October 21, 2026, it treated the proclamation as in effect. Ask a lawyer whether any court case affects your family.

Which countries are affected?

Full suspension: all visas, immigrant and nonimmigrant (19 countries)

Afghanistan, Burma, Burkina Faso, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Yemen. Also anyone traveling on documents issued or endorsed by the Palestinian Authority.

Partial suspension: all immigrant visas, plus visitor (B-1/B-2), student (F, M) and exchange (J) visas (19 countries)

Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Immigrant visas only (1 country)

Turkmenistan.

For family visas, the result is the same in all 39 countries: immigrant visas are suspended. That covers immediate relatives of U.S. citizens and every family preference category.

What does this mean for my family's visa case?

• You can still file. A U.S. citizen or green card holder can still file Form I-130. The priority date still counts for your place in line.
• Interviews still happen. The State Department says affected applicants may still apply and schedule interviews, but they "may be ineligible for visa issuance or admission."
• Most visas will be refused under the proclamation unless an exception applies.
• Fee and timing choices matter. Ask a lawyer whether to keep moving forward with the National Visa Center now, or wait.

We know this is painful, especially for spouses and young children who can't join you. Keeping the case alive protects your place for when the rules change.

Are there any exceptions?

The State Department lists these (State Department):

• Green card holders (lawful permanent residents)
• Dual nationals applying with a passport from a country that is not on the list
• Immigrant visas for ethnic and religious minorities facing persecution in Iran
• Special Immigrant Visas for U.S. government employees
• Athletes and others traveling for certain major sporting events
• Certain diplomatic and official visas (full suspension countries only)

National interest exceptions are possible case by case, decided by the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Homeland Security or the Attorney General. The State Department describes no application process.

Adoptions: the categorical exception for adopted children was removed, but children being adopted by Americans may qualify for a national interest exception. The State Department says families should continue the normal process, file and attend interviews, with no extra steps to be considered.

What was removed in 2026: the earlier exceptions for spouses, children and parents of U.S. citizens, for adoptions, and for Afghan Special Immigrant Visas.

What if I'm already in the U.S.?

The proclamation is about visas and entry from abroad (State Department). It is not written as a rule that cancels status you already have here. Ask a lawyer how it could affect an application you file inside the U.S.

But it has shaped what happens inside the U.S.:

• USCIS hold policies. In late 2025 and January 2026, USCIS placed holds on pending applications for people from the 39 listed countries. A federal court set aside those policies in June 2026, and USCIS announced it would treat them as not in effect while litigation continues (AILA copy of USCIS announcement, checked October 19, 2026). On August 24, 2026, a federal court in California (Red Eagle Law v. Edlow) blocked the hold memos for nationals of the 39 countries, and on August 28, 2026 USCIS said it will decide those cases in the normal course (USCIS alert).
• DACA renewals. In March 2026, 41 U.S. senators wrote to DHS about reported DACA renewal freezes for people from these countries (Sen. Padilla, checked October 21, 2026). If your case is stuck, see What to do when your USCIS case is taking too long.
• Travel. If you are from a listed country, leaving the U.S. can be risky even with a green card or advance parole. Talk to a lawyer before any trip. See Is it safe to travel outside the US with DACA right now?

Your relative might also be able to apply for a green card from inside the U.S. if they are here and eligible. See Can I still apply for a green card inside the US?

What was the 75 country pause?

Separate from the travel ban, the State Department paused immigrant visa issuance to nationals of 75 countries starting January 21, 2026. As of August 21, 2026, under a court order in CLINIC v. Rubio, that pause is no longer in effect (State Department, page updated August 28, 2026). Interviews continue to be scheduled.

So if your relative's country is not one of the 39 above, the 75 country pause should no longer stop their visa. If it is one of the 39, the travel ban still applies.

What can our family do now?

1. Check nationality carefully. Does your relative have, or qualify for, a passport from another country not on the list? That is a real exception. Ask a lawyer before applying for a second citizenship.
2. Keep the petition alive. File the I-130 if you haven't. Keep addresses and contact details current with USCIS and the National Visa Center.
3. Gather documents now. Birth and marriage certificates, police certificates, and the sponsor's tax papers. They will be ready when visas open again.
4. Ask about a national interest exception if your case has urgent humanitarian facts, like a child alone or a serious illness. There is no form, so a lawyer's help matters.
5. Watch for changes. Check the State Department page monthly. Proclamations can be changed or ended.
6. Avoid scams. No one can sell you a waiver of the travel ban. See Warning signs of an immigration scam.
7. Care for each other. Long separations are hard on families. See Mental health care without fear.

Questions people ask

My wife is from Iran and I am a U.S. citizen. Can she get a visa? Under the proclamation, immigrant visas for Iranian nationals are suspended, and the exception for spouses was removed. Exceptions exist for some religious and ethnic minorities facing persecution in Iran and for dual nationals. Ask a lawyer.

My father is Cuban and lives in Spain with a Spanish passport. If he applies with his valid Spanish passport, the dual national exception may apply. Bring that passport to the interview.

My relative already has an immigrant visa issued in 2025. The State Department says visas issued before January 1, 2026 were not revoked, and people with a valid visa that day are not subject to the proclamation.

Does this affect green card holders traveling back? Green card holders are listed as an exception. Still, if you have been away a long time or have a record, ask a lawyer before you travel.

Who can help?

Contact them to confirm hours, languages and openings. Being listed here is not a referral or a promise of service.

• Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto (for low income San Mateo and Santa Clara county residents): (650) 326-6440
• Immigration Institute of the Bay Area, Redwood City office: (650) 587-1558 to book a free first consultation (appointments only)
• Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County: (650) 558-0915
• Catholic Charities of San Mateo County: (650) 295-2160
• For Santa Clara County residents: Office of Immigrant Relations partners
• Anywhere in California: the state's map of free immigration legal services, or call (916) 651-8017
• Anywhere in the U.S.: the Justice Department's list of free legal service providers

Your member of Congress can also ask about a stuck case. See How to talk to your lawmakers about what your family needs.