LATEST NEWS ALERT: Administration Issues Travel Ban - (06/05/25)
After weeks of speculation, the Trump Administration issued a proclamation Wednesday, June 4, imposing two levels of restriction and limited entry on a number of countries. As of 12:01am Eastern, June 9, 2025, the following will go into effect for foreign nationals of designated countries who are outside of the U.S. and do not have a valid visa.
Full restriction and limitation of entry:
Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
- Already-approved visas for immigrants or nonimmigrants will not be revoked. Future travel will be very limited, with some exceptions for activities proven to advance the national interest of the U.S. There is no clarity about whether arts-related activities could be eligible for a national interest exception.
Partial restriction and limitation of entry:
Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
- Travel by current and future O and P visa holders is permitted, but validity periods may be reduced. Nationals from partially restricted countries will be unable to receive and travel to the U.S. on B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas.
There are exceptions to the ban and the full list can be found in the proclamation. Some key examples are:
- Any lawful permanent resident of the U.S.
- Dual nationals traveling on a passport issued by a non-designated country
- Immigrants with immediate family visas specifically for spouses, unmarried children under 21, and parents of US citizens (IR/CR visas) and clear family ties
- Adoptees under designated visa types
- Afghan Special Immigrant Visa holders and US government-related SIVs
- Persecuted minorities from Iran issued immigrant visas
In addition to yesterday’s proclamation restricting entry to the U.S. from designated countries, all visa holders traveling to and working in the U.S. should be aware that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced they are ramping up the review of immigration records and will take immediate appropriate actions to crackdown on visa overstays. It is vital that travelers enter the U.S. in the proper visa classification, perform only approved work, and travel within the approved dates of their visa. Other guidance regarding visa processing and entry can be found in a previous Artists from Abroad news item from March.
This page will update as further information and guidance become available.