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U.S. Suspends and Partially Suspends Visa Issuance to Nationals of 39 Countries and Palestinian Authority Document Holde

As of 1 January 2026, Presidential Proclamation 10998 fully suspends visa issuance for all nonimmigrant and immigrant visa categories for nationals of 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 for individuals using travel documents from the Palestinian Authority. It also partially suspends visa issuance for nonimmigrant B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas, and all immigrant visas, for nationals of 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. Additionally, it partially suspends all immigrant visas for nationals of Turkmenistan. Categorical exceptions previously available under PP 10949 for immediate family, adoption, and Afghan SIVs are no longer available. Limited exceptions exist for certain diplomatic/official visas, ethnic/religious minorities facing persecution in Iran, dual nationals, SIVs for U.S. government employees, and participants in certain major sporting events, as well as Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs).

Jurisdiction

United States

Category

Work & skilled workers

Recorded versions

1

Official source

travel.state.gov