On June 4, 2025, President Donald Trump issued a proclamation restricting the entry of foreign nationals from select countries, citing national security and public safety concerns. The order, which takes effect at 12:01 a.m. ET on June 9, 2025, imposes travel restrictions and enhanced screening measures and targets nations deemed to have inadequate identity management and information-sharing practices. Its stated aim is to prevent the entry to the United States by individuals who may pose a terrorism risk, threaten national security, or abuse United States immigration laws.

Quick Hits

• On June 4, 2025, President Trump issued a proclamation imposing a full restriction on the entry of foreign nationals from 12 countries and a partial restriction on 7 countries, citing national security and public safety concerns.
• The order, effective June 9, 2025, imposes travel bans and enhanced screening measures on nations that the proclamation claims have inadequate identity management and information-sharing practices, with a stated goal of preventing potential terrorism risks and immigration law abuses.
• The proclamation includes certain exceptions and provisions for review and updates every 90 days.

Designated Countries

According to the proclamation, titled “Restricting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the United States From Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats,” the travel restrictions will apply as follows:

Full Travel Ban

This ban suspends the entry of immigrants and nonimmigrants for nationals of the following countries:

• Afghanistan
• Burma
• Chad
• Republic of the Congo
• Equatorial Guinea
• Eritrea
• Haiti
• Iran
• Libya
• Somalia
• Sudan
• Yemen

Partial Travel Ban

This ban suspends the entry of immigrants and certain nonimmigrants (B-1, B-2, F, M, J) for nationals of the following countries:

• Burundi
• Cuba
• Laos
• Sierra Leone
• Togo
• Turkmenistan
• Venezuela

The proclamation also directs agencies to review and provide an update on the screening and vetting procedures of Egypt, though it does not immediately impose restrictions. The administration will review the list of impacted countries in the next 90 days, and countries may be added or removed from these lists. 

Foreign Nationals Impacted

Nationals of the designated countries will be impacted if they are:

• Outside the United States as of 12:01 a.m.ET on June 9, 2025; and
• Do not possess a valid U.S. visa as of 12:01 a.m.ET on June 9, 2025.

Exceptions

The following individuals are not impacted by the proclamation:

• U.S. permanent residents
• Dual nationals of designated countries when they are traveling on a nondesignated country passport.
• Individuals entering with immediate relative immigrant visas (IR-1/CR-1; IR-2/CR-2, IR-5).
• Athletes, coaches, “persons performing a necessary supporting role, and immediate relatives traveling” for major sporting events as determined by the secretary of state.
• Individuals entering the United States with certain other immigrant visas:
  • adoption (IR-3, IR-4, IH-3, IH-4);
  • Afghan Special Immigrant Visas;
  • Special Immigrant Visas for U.S. Government employees; and
  • “immigrant visas for ethnic and religious minorities facing persecution in Iran.”
• Exceptions determined by the attorney general, in coordination with the secretary of state and the secretary of homeland security for foreign nationals whose travel is determined to “advance a critical United States national interest involving the Department of Justice.”
• Foreign nationals whose travel is to serve a U.S. national interest, as determined by the secretary of state, in coordination with the secretary of homeland security.
• Asylees and refugees already admitted to the United States.
• Foreign nationals granted withholding of removal or protection under the Convention against Torture (CAT).

Analysis & Impact

Employers should consider the following:

International Travel

• Foreign nationals from the designated countries who are currently outside the United States should consider returning before the entry restrictions take effect on June 9, 2025, at 12:01 a.m. ET.
• Nationals of countries under full suspension are broadly barred from receiving new visas, and departing the United States after the June 9th effective date may result in the inability to return.
• Nationals of partially restricted countries may face denials for specific visa categories including B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas. Employment-based visa applicants from partially restricted countries may still receive new visas, however the validity of the visa may be restricted, and applicants may face protracted screening procedures. 
• Employment-based green card applicants undergoing consular processing are expected to face suspensions in immigrant visa issuance. 

Immigration Processing for Impacted Nationals Currently in the United States

The proclamation is not expected to:

• Restrict change or extension of status applications filed with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
• Revoke existing visas or work authorization status for foreign nationals currently in the United States.