The Trump administration has expanded US travel restrictions to 20 additional countries, taking the total number of affected nations to 40. Of these, 19 countries are now subject to a complete travel ban, while others face partial entry restrictions.
According to the latest announcement, the newly added countries under a full ban include Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, South Sudan and Laos. The expanded measures will come into force from January 1, the White House confirmed.
The administration said the decision was taken to strengthen US border security, citing persistent shortcomings in screening systems, vetting processes and information-sharing mechanisms in several countries. Officials stated that the move is aimed at addressing national security and public safety concerns.
The complete travel ban list now includes Syria, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, Laos, Sierra Leone, Myanmar, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Haiti, Eritrea, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen and Afghanistan.
In addition to the full bans, partial travel restrictions have been imposed on several other countries. These include Nigeria, the Ivory Coast and Senegal, along with Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The Polynesian nation of Tonga has also been added to the partial restriction list.
The administration has linked the expansion of travel controls to stricter immigration standards and recent security developments, including the arrest of an Afghan national in connection with a shooting involving US National Guard troops. Earlier this year, the government had already announced bans and restrictions affecting 19 countries.
The policy is part of a broader effort to limit the entry of foreign nationals deemed to pose risks to US institutions, governance and social stability. Critics, however, argue that the expanded travel ban disproportionately affects African and Caribbean nations.

19 countries face full ban, others get partial US entry limits from Jan 1 2026!

US Expands Travel Ban To 40 Nations Under Trump US

19 countries face full ban, others get partial US entry limits from Jan 1 2026!

December 17, 2025 | 09:54 IST