U.S. Considers New Travel Restrictions for Citizens of 36 Countries
U.S. Administration Weighs Expanding Travel Ban Policy to 36 Countries, Report Says. The proposed restrictions could impact nations across Africa, the Caribbean, Asia, and Oceania.
The United States government is weighing new travel restrictions that could range from visa suspensions to outright entry bans for citizens of 36 countries that, according to the State Department, fail to meet new security and cooperation criteria. The proposed measures were outlined in an internal memo circulated among U.S. diplomats on June 14, according to media reports.
The document, signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, gives the listed countries 60 days to comply with Washington’s new requirements. The initial deadline to submit an action plan expired on Wednesday, June 18, though it remains unclear which countries responded.
Key issues cited by the State Department include a lack of cooperative central governments capable of issuing reliable identification documents, and high rates of visa overstays by their nationals in the United States.
The memo, first reported by The Washington Post and later confirmed by outlets including the Associated Press and Al Jazeera, includes key U.S. partners in Africa such as Egypt, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Ghana. In total, 25 of the countries under review are located in Africa.
An exception noted in the memo states that a country’s willingness to accept third-country nationals deported from the U.S. may offset other concerns and reduce the likelihood of sanctions.
This potential expansion would build on an existing travel ban signed by President Donald Trump in early June 2025. That executive order bars entry for citizens of 12 countries: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Additionally, partial restrictions apply to nationals from seven other countries, including Cuba and Venezuela.
What You Need to Know
• What’s happening: The U.S. is evaluating travel restrictions for 36 additional countries.
• Why: Alleged failure to meet security standards, documentation requirements, and high visa overstay rates.
• Who’s on the list: 25 countries in Africa, 4 in the Caribbean, 4 in Asia, and 3 in Oceania.
• Context: The move would extend a current travel ban that affects 12 countries and partially restricts 7 others.
• Potential resolution: Countries that cooperate in accepting deportees may avoid sanctions.
The list of countries under review includes:
Africa: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Caribbean: Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia.
Asia: Bhutan, Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan, and Syria.
Oceania: Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
President Trump has previously stated that these lists are subject to change based on “material improvements” or may expand if “new global threats emerge.” Current U.S. immigration and visa policies can be consulted on the official website of the U.S. State Department.
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