United States | State Department implements visa issuance suspensions under two national security proclamations

The State Department has issued updated guidance implementing two presidential proclamations that suspend visa issuance and/or entry for certain foreign nationals based on security and vetting deficiencies, with updates taking effect on two separate dates: June 9, 2025, and Jan. 1, 2026.

Key Points:

• Visa issuance suspensions effective Jan. 1, 2026:
  • Beginning Jan. 1, 2026, at 12:01 a.m. EST, the State Department will fully or partially suspend visa issuance and entry for nationals of 39 countries, as well as individuals applying with travel documents issued or endorsed by the Palestinian Authority.
    • According to the update, “The Department of State is fully suspending visa issuance to nationals of 19 countries — Afghanistan, Burma, Burkina Faso, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria and Yemen — and to individuals traveling on any travel documents issued or endorsed by the Palestinian Authority, for all nonimmigrant and immigrant visa categories.”
    • Partial suspension of visa issuance will apply to “nationals of 19 countries — Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Cote D’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe — for nonimmigrant B-1/B-2 visitor visas and F, M, J student and exchange visitor visas, and all immigrant visas.”
  • This action implements presidential proclamation 10998 issued on Dec. 16, 2025, and also continues and expands prior restrictions imposed under proclamation 10949.
  • Limited exceptions include but are not limited to:
    • Certain diplomatic and official visa categories
    • Immigrant visas for qualifying ethnic or religious minorities from Iran
    • Specific special immigrant visa categories
    • Dual nationals applying with a non‑designated passport
    • Participants in designated international athletic events
    • Lawful permanent residents
• Previously implemented suspensions effective June 9, 2025:
  • The State Department continues to enforce earlier visa issuance and entry suspensions that took effect June 9, 2025, under proclamation 10949.
  • These restrictions apply to nationals of 19 countries.
    • According to the update, “The Department of State is fully suspending visa issuance to nationals of Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen for all nonimmigrant and immigrant visa categories.”
  • Exceptions include but are not limited to:
    • Certain diplomatic and official visas
    • Immediate‑relative immigrant visas
    • Adoption‑related immigrant visas
    • Immigrant visas for ethnic and religious minorities facing persecution in Iran
    • Special Immigrant Visas (including Afghan SIVs and U.S. Government Employee SIVs)
    • Dual nationals traveling on a passport from a non‑designated country
    • Lawful permanent residents
  • These earlier suspensions remain in effect and will interface with updates under proclamation 10998 once the new actions take effect on Jan. 1, 2026.

Additional Information: BAL will continue to monitor implementation closely and will issue additional updates as the Department of State releases further operational guidance.

This alert has been provided by the BAL U.S. Practice Group.

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