New U.S. Travel Ban Effective June 9, 2025
On June 4, 2025, the Trump Administration issued a presidential proclamation, Restricting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats, pursuant to President Trump’s Executive Order 14161 of January 20, 2025. This Proclamation bars or limits entry to the United States by citizens of 19 countries.
This travel ban takes effect at 12:01 a.m. EDT on Monday, June 9, 2025, and applies to individuals outside of the United States on that date, and who do not yet hold a valid visa. Like the travel bans issued by Trump during his first administration, there are various exemptions to the bans.
Who Affected by the Travel Ban?
Fully Restricted (Not eligible for immigrant or non-immigrant visas):
Citizens of the following 12 countries are ineligible for both immigrant or nonimmigrant visas under the travel ban unless exempt:
- Afghanistan
- Burma (Myanmar)
- Chad
- Republic of the Congo
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Haiti
- Iran
- Libya
- Somalia
- Sudan
- Yemen
Partially Restricted:
Citizens of the following 7 countries are ineligible for immigrant visas and certain non-immigrant visas including tourist visas (B-1, B-2, B1/B2) student visas (F), vocational visas (M), and exchange visas (J). Consular officers will have full discretion to shorten or limit other non-immigrant visas:
- Burundi
- Cuba
- Laos
- Sierra Leone
- Togo
- Turkmenistan
- Venezuela
Who is Exempt from the Ban?
The following individuals are not subject to the ban:
- U.S. lawful permanent residents (green card holders)
- Individuals holding valid visas issued before June 9, 2025
- Dual citizens of the United States and one of the countries impacted by the travel ban
- Individuals eligible for diplomatic visas (A-1, A-2), official visas (C-2, C-3), or visas issued to employees of international organizations (G, NATO), as well as their immediate family members
- Immediate family members of U.S. citizens (spouses, children, and parents) as defined by IR-1/CR-1, IR-2/CR-2, IR-5
- Athletes and essential support staff attending major international sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup, 2028 Summer Olympics and their immediate family members
- International adoptees eligible for IR-3 IR-4, IH-3, or IH-4 visas
- Afghani citizens eligible for Special Immigrant Visas
- U.S. government employees eligible for Special Immigrant Visas
- Iranian nationals eligible for visas as persecuted religious and ethnic minorities
- Individuals deemed to serve the national interest of the United States as witnesses in criminal proceedings
- Individuals granted asylum, refugee status, or protection under the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT)
- Individuals who are deemed to serve the national interest of the United States (case-by-case determination)
Stated Justifications for the Ban
According to the Trump Administration the ban addresses:
- Inadequate screening and vetting procedures for passport and civil-document issuance in the affected countries
- High visa-overstay rates
- Lack of cooperation on information sharing regarding security risks
- Presence of terrorist organizations or state-sponsored terrorism in impacted countries
- Countries’ refusal to accept their deported nationals
McCown & Evans anticipates clarifications regarding this Proclamation, as well as procedures on how to secure a national interest exemption over the course of the following weeks. We will continue to monitor the new policies and will provide additional updates as information is released. And, as always, reach out to your attorney at McCown & Evans with any questions. If you are a new client, please contact us at (415)432-5300 or info@mccownevans.com.