What Countries Areyou Banned In If You Are A Ch…: Everything You Need to Know

Last Updated on July 24, 2026 by Daniel Globe

U.S. entry and visa restrictions can affect travelers differently based on their nationality, passport, visa category, location, and visa status on the policy’s effective date. The rules below reflect official U.S. government guidance available as of July 25, 2026. Because immigration policies can change, check the linked government sources before applying or traveling.

Overview of U.S. Travel Bans and Restrictions

The main current country-based restrictions come from Presidential Proclamation 10998. It was signed on December 16, 2025 and took effect at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on January 1, 2026.

The proclamation fully or partially suspends entry and visa issuance for nationals of 39 countries. It also fully restricts people applying with travel documents issued or endorsed by the Palestinian Authority.

These restrictions are not based only on where you were born or where you currently live. Your nationality, passport, visa category, visa validity, and location on the effective date can all matter.

A person covered by the restrictions may still submit a visa application and attend an interview, but the person may remain ineligible for visa issuance or admission unless an exception applies.

Countries With Full U.S. Entry and Visa Suspensions

The United States fully suspended immigrant and nonimmigrant visa issuance for nationals of the following 19 countries, subject to defined exceptions:

A full suspension does not automatically cancel every previously issued visa. According to the State Department’s implementation guidance, the proclamation applies to a covered foreign national who met both of these conditions:

1. The person was outside the United States at 12:01 a.m. EST on January 1, 2026.
2. The person did not hold a valid visa at that time.

Visas valid before the effective time were not revoked under Proclamation 10998. However, a visa never guarantees admission. U.S. Customs and Border Protection makes the final admission decision at the port of entry.

Major Exceptions to the Full Suspension

The proclamation includes several categorical exceptions. These include:

• Lawful permanent residents: Green card holders are not covered by the suspension.
• Dual nationals: A dual national may be exempt when traveling on a valid passport from a country that is not restricted.
• Diplomatic and official travelers: Certain A, C, G, and NATO visa classifications are exempt.
• Major sporting events: Certain athletes, coaches, essential support staff, and immediate relatives traveling for events such as the World Cup or Olympics may qualify.
• Qualifying U.S. government employee SIVs: Certain Special Immigrant Visa applicants under 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(27)(D) are exempt.
• Qualifying Iranian minorities: Immigrant visas for ethnic and religious minorities facing persecution in Iran are exempt.
• National-interest cases: The Secretary of State, Department of Homeland Security, or Attorney General may approve defined case-by-case exceptions.

Countries With Partial U.S. Visa Restrictions

Partial restrictions do not block every visa category. For nationals of the following 19 countries, the United States suspended all immigrant visas and the main visitor, student, vocational student, and exchange visitor categories:

For the 19-country partial group, other nonimmigrant classifications may remain available, although the proclamation directs consular officers to reduce visa validity where permitted by law. You should check the current reciprocity schedule and embassy instructions for your nationality and visa type.

What Happens to Pending Visa Applications?

Covered applicants may generally continue to submit applications and attend scheduled interviews. However, completing an interview does not mean a visa can be issued while the restriction applies.

If you believe you qualify for a categorical exception, bring clear evidence to the interview. Case-by-case national-interest decisions are discretionary, so an applicant cannot assume that an exception will be approved.

The Separate 75-Country Immigrant Visa Pause

Effective January 21, 2026, the Department of State paused immigrant visa issuance to nationals of 75 countries while it reviews screening and public-charge-related policies. This is separate from the 39-country entry proclamation.

The official list includes Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, The Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, the Kyrgyz Republic, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Pakistan, the Republic of the Congo, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, and Yemen.

You can review the current list and exceptions on the State Department’s immigrant visa processing page.

• The pause applies to immigrant visa issuance.
• It does not, by itself, suspend tourist visas or other nonimmigrant visas.
• Affected applicants may still apply and attend immigrant visa interviews.
• Dual nationals applying with a valid passport from a country outside the list are exempt.
• Current immigrant visas were not revoked under this guidance.
• Children being adopted by Americans may qualify for a national-interest exception.

Some nationalities appear under both Proclamation 10998 and the 75-country immigrant-visa pause. In those cases, the stricter or additional rule may also apply.

How Do Recent Changes Affect H-1B Workers?

The H-1B restrictions are separate from the country lists above. A September 2025 presidential proclamation restricted H-1B visa issuance and entry based on covered petitions filed with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services after 12:01 a.m. EDT on September 21, 2025.

Under the State Department’s H-1B guidance, affected visa issuance or entry is restricted unless the petition is accompanied or supplemented by a $100,000 payment or the Department of Homeland Security grants an exception.

This does not mean that every existing H-1B worker or every H-1B petition automatically owes the payment. The filing date, visa status, location, travel plans, and any available exception can matter. No visas were revoked under this H-1B proclamation.

H-1B Screening and Online-Presence Review

The State Department also expanded online-presence review for H-1B applicants and H-4 dependents. Current instructions tell covered applicants to set their social media profiles to public or open for vetting. You can review the latest classifications and instructions on the official screening guidance page.

The original claim that every employer must newly prove it is not displacing U.S. workers is too broad. Existing labor-condition rules include non-displacement and recruitment attestations for certain H-1B-dependent employers and willful violators. They do not create the same requirement for every employer in every H-1B filing.

Helpful Resources for U.S. Travel Ban Questions

Use official sources first. Community groups and online forums may help you understand other people’s experiences, but they cannot confirm your legal eligibility.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the “75 countries ban”?

The phrase usually refers to the State Department’s January 21, 2026 pause on immigrant visa issuance for nationals of 75 countries. It is not a blanket ban on all travel. The State Department specifically says that tourist visas are not affected by this separate immigrant-visa pause, although other country-based restrictions may still apply.

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Which countries can a U.S. citizen not visit?

North Korea is the clearest passport restriction. An ordinary U.S. passport is not valid for travel to, in, or through North Korea without limited special validation from the State Department. Cuba is not a complete passport ban, but travel transactions must fit an authorized category or receive a specific license. Other countries may deny entry, suspend visas, or have Level 4 travel advisories without being legally prohibited by the United States.

What is the hardest country for an American to visit?

“Hardest” is subjective, but North Korea is among the most restricted because a regular U.S. passport cannot be used for travel there. Special validation is granted only in limited national-interest, journalism, Red Cross, or humanitarian circumstances. A North Korean visa would also be required.

What countries accept U.S. citizens who want to leave the United States?

Many countries admit U.S. citizens for short visits, but visitor admission does not provide a right to live, work, study, or remain permanently. Immigration, humanitarian protection, and asylum rules differ by country. Check the destination government’s official immigration website and obtain legal advice before relying on a relocation or protection plan.

Does the U.S. travel proclamation cancel an existing valid visa?

Proclamation 10998 did not revoke visas that were valid at 12:01 a.m. EST on January 1, 2026. However, a valid visa allows a person to request admission. It does not guarantee that U.S. Customs and Border Protection will admit the traveler.

Are green card holders covered by the country restrictions?

Lawful permanent residents are listed as an exception to Proclamation 10998. A green card holder can still face separate admissibility, abandonment, criminal, document, or travel issues, so a person with a complicated history should obtain legal advice before traveling.

Conclusion

The current U.S. restrictions are more complex than a single list of banned countries. Proclamation 10998 fully restricts nationals of 19 countries and partially restricts nationals of 20 countries, including Turkmenistan’s immigrant-only rule. A separate policy pauses immigrant visa issuance for nationals of 75 countries, while another proclamation affects certain H-1B cases.

Before you apply or travel, confirm which policy applies to your nationality, passport, visa category, location, and existing visa. Use the latest State Department and embassy guidance, and seek qualified legal help when an exception or complicated immigration history is involved.

Sources

1. U.S. Department of State: Proclamation 10998 Visa Suspension Guidance — current country lists, affected visa categories, scope, and exceptions.
2. The White House: Presidential Proclamation 10998 — full legal text of the entry restrictions effective January 1, 2026.
3. U.S. Department of State: 75-Country Immigrant Visa Processing Update — the separate immigrant-visa issuance pause and its exceptions.
4. U.S. Department of State: H-1B Entry Restriction — the $100,000 payment rule, filing-date scope, and visa-revocation clarification.
5. U.S. Department of State: Passport for Travel to North Korea — ordinary U.S. passport restrictions and special-validation requirements.
6. U.S. Department of State: Cuba International Travel Information — authorized travel categories, licensing rules, and transaction restrictions.