What you need to know about US travel restrictions

Previous travel bans under Trump

First-term travel bans caused less business disruption than today's restrictions, owing to a smaller list of countries and a narrower methodology. The original 'Muslim Ban' from the first Trump administration targeted seven countries; these were dropped under President Biden but have since been reinstated and substantially expanded.

Travel bans reinstated and expanded

The June 2025 proclamation suspended entry for nationals of 12 countries and partially restricted seven more. A December 2025 proclamation more than doubled the scope, imposing full suspensions on 19 countries and partial restrictions on 20 more, effective 1 January 2026.

Countries under full suspension now include Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen, as well as holders of Palestinian Authority travel documents. Countries under partial restriction include Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

A separate State Department measure, effective 21 January 2026, paused all immigrant visa processing for nationals of 75 countries on public charge grounds, extending restrictions to countries including Brazil, Egypt, Iraq, Russia, Pakistan, and others not on the entry ban list. Non-immigrant and tourist visas are unaffected by this measure.

Ebola-related entry restrictions: May–June 2026

On 18 May 2026, the CDC issued an order under Title 42 banning entry for all non-US passport holders who had been in the DRC, Uganda, or South Sudan in the previous 21 days. On 22 May, the exemption for green card holders was eliminated, extending the restriction to lawful permanent residents. US citizens returning from the region must enter via Washington Dulles Airport (IAD), Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson (ATL), or Houston George Bush Intercontinental (IAH) for enhanced health screening.

Americans exposed to Ebola abroad will not be repatriated for treatment; instead, they will quarantine at a US-funded facility in Kenya, with confirmed cases transferred to European hospitals. The Kenya facility has faced domestic legal challenges, with a Kenyan court temporarily halting construction. The WHO declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on 17 May 2026; there are 1,294 confirmed cases with 362 deaths as of 19 June 2026. 

What the restrictions mean for business travel

Nationals of fully suspended countries cannot obtain any new US visa category. Nationals of partially restricted countries cannot obtain B-1/B-2 business or tourist visas. Existing valid visas issued before 1st January 2026 remain valid until expiry. Lawful permanent residents and dual nationals on an unaffected passport are exempt from the political bans but remain subject to the Ebola restriction if they have transited the three affected countries. Transit alone is sufficient to trigger the 21-day lookback.

Advice for business travellers

The administration has indicated it is weighing restrictions on up to 36 additional countries, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa. Retaliatory measures remain a live risk, exemplified by Chad, which has already suspended visa issuance to US citizens. At least 33 lawsuits are active across all restriction layers; the Ebola measures are subject to a 30-day renewal and may be amended at short notice. 

Organisations should treat the Ebola restrictions as operationally distinct from the political bans and review travel risk policies for both. Liaise with legal counsel and your local embassy for guidance specific to nationality and travel history.

Contact Healix for up-to-date analysis, assessment and advice at enquiries@healix.com