Travel Ban: NAFSA Resources

March 11, 2021

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Update: President Biden Revoked Travel Bans 4.0 and 3.0 on January 20, 2021.

Read:

Proclamation 10141 of January 20, 2021, Proclamation on Ending Discriminatory Bans on Entry to The United States, revokes "Executive Order 13780, and Proclamations 9645, 9723, and 9983." Published in the Federal Register at 86 FR 7005 (January 25, 2021).
Rescission of Presidential Proclamations 9645 and 9983. Department of State notice. Updated March 10, 2021. Text of the DOS notice:

Rescission of Presidential Proclamations 9645 and 9983

Last Updated: March 10, 2021

On January 20, 2021, President Biden signed a Presidential Proclamation titled “Ending Discriminatory Bans on Entry to the United States.” This proclamation ends the travel restrictions under Presidential Proclamations 9645 and 9983 that had suspended entry into the United States of certain nationals, based on visa type, from Burma, Eritrea, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Libya, Nigeria, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Venezuela, and Yemen.

Following the Department’s review, immigrant visa (IV) applicants who were previously refused due to either P.P. 9645 or 9983 and were determined not to qualify for a waiver before January 20, 2020, may reapply for a visa by submitting a new visa application (DS-260) and paying a new visa application processing fee. In the alternative, IV applicants refused due to either P.P. 9645 or 9983 who were determined not to qualify for a waiver on or after January 20, 2020, may request their local embassy or consulate to reconsider their case within one year of the date of their waiver refusal without submitting a new application or paying a new visa application processing fee, consistent with Department regulations. IV applicants who were refused due to either P.P. 9645 or 9983 and whose eligibility for a waiver was still being evaluated as of January 20, 2021, will continue to have their applications processed. Embassies and consulates are prioritizing the adjudication of applications for those individuals who, as of January 20, 2021, were awaiting an outcome from the P.P. 9645/9983 waiver process.

Nonimmigrant visa applicants who were previously refused due to either P.P. 9645 or 9983 and did not qualify for a waiver will need to submit a new visa application (DS-160) and pay a new visa application processing fee if they wish to reapply for a visa.

Pursuant to President Biden’s proclamation, the Department can immediately process visa applications for individuals from the affected countries. Please note that the rescission of P.P.s 9645 and 9983 does not necessarily mean that your local U.S. embassy or consulate is able to immediately schedule all affected applicants for visa interviews. The resumption of routine visa services during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, prioritized after services to U.S. citizens, will occur on a post-by-post basis, consistent with the Department’s guidance for safely returning our workforce to Department facilities. U.S. Embassies and Consulates have continued to provide emergency and mission-critical visa services since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and will continue to do so as they are able. Applicants, including those previously denied due to P.P. 9645 or 9983, should consult the website of their nearest U.S. embassy or consulate to determine if their case qualifies for expedited processing. As post-specific conditions improve, our missions will begin providing additional services, culminating eventually in a complete resumption of routine visa services. Please see here for more information on the phased resumption of visa services.

The content below will be kept for research and reference purposes

Trump Administration Travel Bans. In Proclamation 9983 of January 31, 2020, the Trump administration expanded its travel ban to place visa and entry restrictions on travelers from six additional countries: Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Nigeria, Sudan, and Tanzania. This Ban (Travel Ban 4.0) became effective at 12:01 eastern standard time on February 21, 2020. Travel Ban 4.0 contained restrictions on immigrants but not on nonimmigrants, so Travel Ban 4.0 did not impact acquisition of nonimmigrant visas like F-1 student, J-1 exchange visitor, H-1B worker, etc., or of admission to the United States in those categories. Travel Ban 3.0 barred certain citizens of Iran, Libya, North Korea, Syria, Venezuela, Yemen, and Somalia.

The Travel Ban 3.0 and 4.0 restrictions were country-specific, and tailored to the situation of each individual country.

Travel Ban 4.0 countries effective February 21, 2020

Eritrea
Kyrgyzstan
Nigeria
Myanmar
Sudan
Tanzania

Travel Ban 3.0 Countries

Iran
Libya
North Korea
Syria
Venezuela
Yemen
Somalia

Brief background

President Trump ordered "Travel Ban 3.0" on September 24, 2017, in Proclamation 9645. Several parties immediately sued to block the ban, but the litigation ultimately did not stop its implementation. On June 26, 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the ban, but it had already been in effect and enforced since December 4, 2017, when the Supreme Court stayed preliminary injunctions that had partially blocked it. On January 31, 2020, President Trump signed Proclamation 9983, Improving Enhanced Vetting Capabilities and Processes for Detecting Attempted Entry Into the United States by Terrorists or Other Public-Safety Threats ("Travel Ban 4.0"), which added six additional countries to the "travel ban" list effective February 21, 2020.

Read the Travel Ban 4.0 Proclamation (Proclamation 9983 of January 31, 2020)
Read the Travel Ban 3.0 Proclamation (Proclamation 9645 of September 24, 2017)

Countries and Conditions

Travel Bans 3.0 and 4.0 travel and entry ban restrictions applied to the following countries in specific ways.

Country	Conditions
Iran	Governed by Proclamation 9645, Travel Ban 3.0 Entry as an immigrant was suspended Entry of Iranian nationals "under valid student (F and M) and exchange visitor (J) visas is not suspended, although such individuals should be subject to enhanced screening and vetting requirements." Entry under other types of nonimmigrant visas was suspended
Libya	Governed by Proclamation 9645, Travel Ban 3.0 Entry as an immigrant was suspended Entry was suspended for nonimmigrants on business (B-1), tourist (B-2), and business/tourist (B-1/B-2) visas. Entry under other types of nonimmigrant visas was not suspended
North Korea	Governed by Proclamation 9645, Travel Ban 3.0 Entry as an immigrant was suspended Entry was suspended for all nonimmigrant visa categories
Somalia	Governed by Proclamation 9645, Travel Ban 3.0 Entry as an immigrant was suspended Visa adjudications for nationals of Somalia and decisions regarding their entry as nonimmigrants were subject to additional scrutiny to determine if applicants were connected to terrorist organizations or otherwise posed a threat to the national security or public safety of the United States
Syria	Governed by Proclamation 9645, Travel Ban 3.0 Entry as an immigrant was suspended Entry was suspended for all nonimmigrant visa categories
Venezuela	Governed by Proclamation 9645, Travel Ban 3.0 Entry was suspended for Venezuelan nonimmigrants on business (B-1), tourist (B-2), and business/tourist (B-1/B-2) visas, but only for officials of government agencies of Venezuela involved in screening and vetting procedures - including the Ministry of the Popular Power for Interior, Justice and Peace; the Administrative Service of Identification, Migration and Immigration; the Scientific, Penal and Criminal Investigation Service Corps; the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service; and the Ministry of the Popular Power for Foreign Relations - and their immediate family members. Nationals of Venezuela not subject to the above suspension were "subject to appropriate additional measures to ensure traveler information remains current."
Yemen	Governed by Proclamation 9645, Travel Ban 3.0 Entry as an immigrant was suspended Entry was suspended for nonimmigrants on business (B-1), tourist (B-2), and business/tourist (B-1/B-2) visas Entry under other types of nonimmigrant visas was not suspended
Eritrea	Governed by Proclamation of January 31, 2020, Travel Ban 4.0 The entry into the United States of nationals of Eritrea as immigrants, except as Special Immigrants whose eligibility is based on having provided assistance to the United States Government, was suspended.
Kyrgyzstan	Governed by Proclamation of January 31, 2020, Travel Ban 4.0 The entry into the United States of nationals of Kyrgyzstan as immigrants, except as Special Immigrants whose eligibility is based on having provided assistance to the United States Government, was suspended.
Myanmar (Burma)	Governed by Proclamation of January 31, 2020, Travel Ban 4.0 The entry into the United States of nationals of Burma as immigrants, except as Special Immigrants whose eligibility is based on having provided assistance to the United States Government, was suspended.
Nigeria	Governed by Proclamation of January 31, 2020, Travel Ban 4.0 The entry into the United States of nationals of Nigeria as immigrants, except as Special Immigrants whose eligibility is based on having provided assistance to the United States Government, was suspended.
Sudan	Governed by Proclamation of January 31, 2020, Travel Ban 4.0 The entry into the United States of nationals of Sudan as Diversity Immigrants, as described in section 203(c) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1153(c), was suspended.
Tanzania	Governed by Proclamation of January 31, 2020, Travel Ban 4.0 The entry into the United States of nationals of Tanzania as Diversity Immigrants, as described in section 203(c) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1153(c), was suspended.

NAFSA Statements

January 31, 2020 - NAFSA Condemns Expanded Travel Ban
June 26, 2018 - America Must Rise Above Racism and Xenophobia (issued following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to uphold the ban)
March 29, 2018 - NAFSA joined in an amicus brief arguing against the travel ban, filed with the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of 33 higher education associations
September 25, 2017 - NAFSA Statement on September 24, 2017 Proclamation Travel Ban

Statements on Prior 90-Day Travel Ban

September 18, 2017 - Educational association amicus brief in support of the case against the travel ban now before the Supreme Court.
June 26, 2017 - NAFSA Statement on SCOTUS Travel Ban Decision
March 6, 2017 - Revised Executive Order Makes America Less Safe, Harms International Ties
February 10, 2017 - NAFSA Commends Court of Appeals Unanimous Decision on Executive Order
January 30, 2017 - Latest Executive Order Undermines America's Safety and Values

FAQ on Immigration Benefits

NAFSA compiled a list of frequently asked questions about resources that can assist you in understanding and responding to recent and future changes to immigration benefits. View the frequently asked questions

From the Community

Tips and information from NAFSA's blog to assist advisers working to help students, scholars, faculty, and staff impacted by the executive orders.