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Travel Ban 2026: Proclamation 10998
Proclamation 10998 suspends or limits entry to the United States for nationals of 39 countries, plus anyone travelling on a travel document issued or endorsed by the Palestinian Authority. It was signed on 16 December 2025 and took effect at 12:01 a.m. EST on 1 January 2026, replacing and extending Proclamation 10949.
Two facts decide whether it affects you, and both are in section 6 of the proclamation:
The restrictions apply only to people who were outside the United States on the effective date and who did not hold a valid visa on that date.
If you already held a valid U.S. visa on 1 January 2026, it was not revoked by this proclamation.
Does this stop you filing a DS-160?
No — and this is the part that costs people money.
Applicants from designated countries may still submit a DS-160 and still attend a scheduled interview, but they may be found ineligible for the visa. The MRV visa application fee is non-refundable whatever the outcome, so a designated national who applies without qualifying for an exception will normally lose the fee.
Before paying anything, check whether you fall under one of the exceptions below, and read your post's own instructions on the embassy or consulate page.
Fully suspended: immigrant and nonimmigrant entry
Nationals of these countries are suspended from entering as both immigrants and nonimmigrants.
Continued from Proclamation 10949 (12): Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen.
Added by Proclamation 10998 (7): Burkina Faso, Laos, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Syria.
Palestinian Authority travel documents are treated the same way: entry is suspended for anyone seeking to travel on a document issued or endorsed by the PA, as immigrants and as nonimmigrants.
Partially suspended: immigrants plus B, F, M and J
For these countries the suspension covers immigrant visas and the B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M and J nonimmigrant categories. Other nonimmigrant categories are not suspended, but consular officers are directed to reduce visa validity for them as far as the law allows.
Continued from Proclamation 10949 (4): Burundi, Cuba, Togo, Venezuela.
Added by Proclamation 10998 (16): Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Turkmenistan is the exception in that list, and in the opposite direction. The proclamation records that Turkmenistan made significant progress on identity management and information sharing, and it lifts the B, F, M and J suspension that Proclamation 10949 had imposed. Only immigrant entry remains suspended. If you are reading an older list that shows Turkmenistan as restricted for visitors or students, it is out of date.
Nigerian applicants have a second, separate rule. From 21 January 2026, Nigerian nationals found otherwise eligible for a B-1/B-2 visa must post a bond of up to $15,000. That is a different measure from this proclamation — see the U.S. visa bond programme.
Who is not affected
The proclamation does not apply to:
- Anyone who was inside the United States on the effective date
- Anyone who held a valid visa on the effective date
- Lawful permanent residents (green card holders)
- Dual nationals travelling on a passport from a country that is not designated
- Holders of valid A-1, A-2, C-2, C-3, G-1 to G-4, and NATO-1 to NATO-6 visas
- Athletes, teams, coaches, support staff and their immediate relatives travelling for the World Cup, the Olympics, or another major sporting event designated by the Secretary of State
- Special Immigrant Visas for U.S. Government employees
- Immigrant visas for ethnic and religious minorities facing persecution in Iran
Case-by-case exceptions are also possible where the Attorney General finds travel advances a critical national interest involving the Department of Justice, or where the Secretary of State or the Secretary of Homeland Security finds it serves a United States national interest. These are discretionary and are not something an applicant can apply for directly.
Is the list permanent?
No. The proclamation requires the Secretary of State, with the Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Director of National Intelligence, to report to the President within 180 days and every 180 days after on whether each suspension should be continued, terminated, modified or supplemented. Countries that improve their identity-management and information-sharing practices can be removed — Turkmenistan's partial relief in this proclamation is the worked example.
The first review window from a 16 December 2025 signing fell in mid-June 2026. Check the current list against the primary sources below rather than any secondary summary, including this one.
Frequently asked questions
Is my visa cancelled if my country is on the list?
No. The proclamation applies only to people who did not hold a valid visa on 1 January 2026. A visa that was already valid on that date was not revoked by it.
Can I still submit a DS-160?
Yes. Designated nationals may still complete and submit the form and attend an interview. The risk is financial rather than procedural: the visa may be refused on the basis of the proclamation, and the application fee is not refunded.
I hold dual nationality. Which passport counts?
The one you travel on. The exception covers dual nationals of a designated country when travelling on a passport issued by a country that is not designated.
What is the difference between full and partial suspension?
Full suspension covers immigrant and all nonimmigrant entry. Partial suspension covers immigrant visas plus B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M and J. Under partial suspension, other nonimmigrant categories remain available but consular officers are told to issue them with reduced validity.
Does this replace the earlier travel ban?
It extends it. Proclamation 10949 designated the countries in the "continued" lists above; Proclamation 10998 keeps those, adds 23 more, and modifies Turkmenistan's treatment.
Is Nigeria's $15,000 bond part of this proclamation?
No. The bond is a separate measure that begins on 21 January 2026 and applies to Nigerian nationals who are otherwise eligible for a B-1/B-2 visa. Details are in the visa bond guide.
Official sources
- Proclamation 10998 in the Federal Register — the primary text, signed 16 December 2025
- U.S. Visas on travel.state.gov
- Find your U.S. embassy or consulate