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President Donald Trump’s travel ban clamping down on travelers from nineteen countries took effect on Monday, setting up potential confrontations at airports and in courtrooms across the country.
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Trump shocked many last week when he signed a sweeping travel ban, citing national security concerns. The ban bars citizens from twelve countries and imposes restrictions on nationals from seven others. The move marks a dramatic escalation in the president's immigration crackdown, reviving a hardline tactic used during his first term that caused chaos at airports and drew legal challenges. This ban is broader in scope, targeting more countries, and is also expected to face lawsuits.
In his Wednesday proclamation, Trump claimed some of these countries had “deficient” vetting processes that could lead to national security threats and travelers overstaying their visas. He also singled out countries that refused to accept U.S. deportees. In a video posted to social media on Wednesday, the president said the recent terrorist attack in Boulder, Colorado, underscored the need for such a ban. (The suspected attacker in Boulder is from Egypt, which is not one of the countries on the restricted list.)
The countries affected could be removed from the ban if “material improvements” are made, Trump said, and more could be added still if new “threats emerge around the world.” Most on the list have tense relationships with the United States, and several are facing their own internal turmoil, whether civil war or repressive rule.
Some groups of people will be exempted from the ban, such as dual nationals, lawful permanent residents and their immediate family, and certain other statuses. The players participating in the upcoming 2026 World Cup will not be affected either.
However, thousands of other nationals—many of whom face conflict or hardship in their home countries—will be subject to the new ruling.
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Here are the 19 countries affected by the ban.
Afghanistan
Afghanistan has experienced severe human rights crackdowns since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, with women and girls bearing the brunt of the group’s oppressive rule. Human rights watchdogs have documented arbitrary arrests, forced disappearances, media censorship, and torture. The United States does not recognize the Taliban as Afghanistan’s official government.
The U.S. State Department granted 37,164 visas to travelers from Afghanistan between May 2024 and April 2025.
Myanmar
Myanmar—referred to as Burma in Trump’s proclamation and by the U.S. State Department—has been ruled by a military junta since a violent and ongoing civil war broke out four years ago. More than 75,000 people have been killed and 3 million more have been displaced by the conflict. The country plunged deeper into crisis when a devastating earthquake in March resulted in thousands of civilian fatalities.
The United States granted 15,206 visas to travelers from Myanmar in the same period.
Chad
Bilateral relations between Chad and the United States have frayed since the country and other Sahel states rejected Western troops and partnerships in the region. Chad also has one of the highest rates of visa overstays on the list, at nearly 50 percent. Chad’s leader has continued a three-decade-long family authoritarian dynasty, while violence and climate change-related issues have exacerbated hunger and displacement in the country.
The United States granted 15,206 visas to travelers from Chad.
Republic of Congo
Congo has been accused by the United States of high visa overstays, though other countries absent from the list have higher overstay rates. Meanwhile, Trump has called out “the Congo”—which is commonly used to refer to the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo, one of the world’s poorest, most conflict-affected nations—for allegedly releasing prisoners to the United States.
The United States granted 2,163 visas to travelers from Congo.
Equatorial Guinea
Trump’s proclamation targets the Central African country of Equatorial Guinea for its high rates of visa overstays, though this rate is also lower than other countries not included in the ban. The country is grappling with a string of human rights concerns and is ranked one of the least-free countries in the world, according to watchdog Freedom House.
The United States granted 754 visas to travelers from Equatorial Guinea.
Eritrea
The East African country is accused of failing to make criminal records of its nationals available, refusing to accept U.S. deportees, and having high visa overstay rates. Eritrea has been a one-party state under highly repressive, unelected rule since its independence in 1993. In 2023, the United States accused Eritrea of committing war crimes during the deadly conflict in northern Ethiopia.
The United States granted 2,723 visas to travelers from Eritrea.
Haiti
Gang violence has had an iron grip on Haiti for several years, with more than 80 percent of the country’s capital controlled by gangs and more than a million Haitians internally displaced. The United Nations has backed a multinational security mission to the small Caribbean island, but so far, the violence has been difficult to contain. Climate change and natural disasters have further weakened the country’s stability. In February, Trump announced that he would be ending the temporary protected status of 500,000 Haitians living in the United States by August.
The United States granted 13,051 visas to travelers from Haiti.
Iran
Iran is one of the United States’ staunch geopolitical adversaries, and Trump’s proclamation declares the country a state sponsor of terrorism. Iran’s addition to the list comes as the United States is enmeshed in a tense diplomatic back-and-forth over Iran’s nuclear weapons capabilities. The country is not considered a safe place for many civilians, with the United Nations recording a surge in the use of the death penalty in recent years and concerns over rights to free expression and basic needs.
The United States granted 23,154 visas to travelers from Iran.
Libya
Libya is on the list for its “historic terrorist presence,” which poses a national security threat to U.S. nationals, according to the White House. Washington also accused Libya of failing to properly issue passports and civil documents to its citizens. The United Nations has accused the country’s government of committing crimes against humanity. Libya’s history of authoritarian rule and civil conflict have also prompted a mass migration challenge.
The United States granted 4,030 visas to travelers from Libya.
Somalia
The White House described Somalia as a “terrorist safe haven” led by a dysfunctional government that “lacks command and control of its territory.” The al-Shabaab insurgency group has unleashed havoc on the country, with fatalities in 2024 doubling that of 2020 despite government attempts to counter the attacks. The country also faces severe food insecurity, with hunger levels that watchdogs consider “alarming.”
The United States granted 3,196 visas to travelers from Somalia.
Sudan
Submerged in one of the bloodiest wars in the world, Sudan is facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, with over 30 million people (more than two-thirds of the population) in need of aid. Millions of Sudanese have been displaced into neighboring countries. The United States has attempted to broker a ceasefire numerous times since the war’s 2023 onset, with no success.
The United States granted 8,427 visas to travelers from Sudan.
Yemen
Trump’s proclamation notes that Yemen has been the site of “active United States military operations,” after Washington carried out persistent strikes against Yemen’s Houthi rebels this year. The Houthis control large swaths of northern and western Yemen and have repeatedly targeted shipping vessels in the Red Sea. Meanwhile, the country is tangled up in its own complex, decade-plus-long civil war, leaving more than 21 million people in need of aid.
The United States granted 14,677 visas to travelers from Yemen.
Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela
These seven countries face a partial travel suspension under the ban, meaning travelers from these nations will not be able to enter the United States with certain visas. Visa overstays are cited as the main concern in most of these cases. However, Trump’s proclamation singled out Cuba as a “state sponsor of terrorism” and accused Venezuela of refusing to accept deportees from the United States and lacking a strong central authority to issue passports.