President Trump Signs New Travel Ban: What Travelers Need to Know

At a Glance

• The proclamation fully restricts and limits the entry of nationals from Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
• The proclamation partially restricts and limits the entry of nationals from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.
• Foreign nationals impacted by the travel ban who are currently in the United States should not leave.

On June 4, 2025, President Donald Trump signed a proclamation banning nationals of 12 countries from entering the United States and partially restricting the entry of nationals from seven countries, stating the move was needed to protect against foreign terrorists and other national security and public safety threats. The ban goes into effect on June 9, 2025.

Countries Affected

• The proclamation fully restricts and limits the entry of nationals from Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
• The proclamation partially restricts and limits the entry of nationals from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.

Difference Between the Full and Partial Travel Ban

• The full travel ban prohibits all nationals from a particular country from entry to the United States as immigrants or nonimmigrants, with a few exceptions.
• The partial ban applies to immigrants and individuals holding specific visas, including B-1/B-2 (tourist/business), F (student), M (vocational) and J (exchange visitor) visas.

To Whom Does the Proclamation Apply?

The proclamation applies to individuals who are nationals from the above countries who:

• Are outside the United States. as of June 9, 2025; and
• Do not already possess a valid visa on June 9, 2025.

The proclamation does not apply to:

• Individuals who have been granted asylum by the United States
• Refugees already admitted to the United States
• Individuals granted withholding of removal or protection under the United Nations Convention Against Torture
• Individuals already in the United States

The proclamation does not revoke existing visas or bar access to asylum or withholding of removal protections.

Exceptions

There are several exceptions to the ban, including for the following categories of foreign nationals:

• Legal permanent residents
• Dual nationals traveling on a passport from a non-designated country
• Certain visa categories such as A, G, NATO, C-2/C-3 (foreign diplomat or foreign government official)
• Any athlete or member of an athletic team, including coaches, persons performing a necessary support role and immediate relatives, traveling for the World Cup, Olympics or other major sporting event
• Immediate relatives entering with specific family immigrant visas (IR-1, IR-2, IR-5, CR-1/CR-2) with clear and convincing evidence of identity and family relationship (e.g., DNA)
• Adoption-based immigrant visa holders (IR-3/4, IH-3/4)
• Afghan nationals holding Special Immigrant Visas
• U.S. government employees holding Special Immigrant Visas
• Immigrant visa applicants from Iran who are members of persecuted ethnic or religious minorities

Discretionary exceptions may be granted on a case-by-case basis by:

• The attorney general for travelers whose entry serves a U.S. Department of Justice interest
• The secretary of state for travelers whose entry is in the U.S. national interest

Practical Advice

Foreign nationals impacted by the travel ban who are currently in the United States should not leave.

Prior Travel Bans

During President Trump’s first term, he issued several executive orders banning travel to the United States by nationals of predominantly Muslim countries. These executive orders were challenged in court on the grounds of religious animus. Ultimately, the Supreme Court upheld a version of President Trump’s travel ban in Trump v. Hawaii, affecting immigrants and nonimmigrants from eight countries on the grounds that the Immigration and Nationality Act “entrusts to the President the decisions whether and when to suspend entry; whose entry to suspend; for how long; and on what conditions” with legitimate national security concerns.

Other Recent Student and Travel Issues

Student Visa Revocations for Foreign Nationals From China

• The U.S. Department of State is working with the Department of Homeland Security to aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields.
• The State Department is also expected to revise visa criteria to enhance scrutiny of all future visa applications from the People’s Republic of China and Hong Kong.

Pause on New Student Visa Interviews

• On May 27, 2025, the U.S. Department of State issued a temporary pause on scheduling new interviews for F, M and J visa applicants until the government issues new guidance to embassies and consulates on the expansion of social media screening and vetting of visa applicants.
• This pause should not impact anyone who already has a scheduled visa appointment.
• Lack of a social media presence or private social media accounts could be a negative factor and construed by consular officers as evasiveness.

Presidential Proclamation Restricting Foreign Student Visas at Harvard University

• The proclamation signed on June 4, 2025, suspends the entry into the United States of any new Harvard student as a nonimmigrant under F, M or J visas.
• It directs the secretary of state to consider revoking existing F, M or J visas for current Harvard students who meet the proclamation’s criteria.
• The proclamation does not apply to foreign nationals attending other U.S. universities through the Student Exchange Visa Program (SEVP) and exempts aliens whose entry is deemed in the national interest.
• On June 6, 2025, a Massachusetts federal district court granted Harvard University’s request for a temporary restraining order. The order prevents the Trump administration from enforcing the presidential proclamation until June 20, 2025, or until the court determines whether it will issue a preliminary injunction. A hearing has been scheduled for June 16. 
• This situation is extremely fluid and we expect further updates in the coming weeks.