The State Department has implemented sweeping visa restrictions under Presidential Proclamation 10998, affecting nationals of 39 countries as of January 1, 2026. The suspension took effect at 12:01 a.m. EST and targets nationals of 39 countries and individuals applying using travel documents issued or endorsed by the Palestinian Authority. Practitioners handling family, employment, student, and humanitarian cases must identify affected applicants and understand which visa categories remain available and what exceptions apply.
What changed
The Department of State is fully suspending visa issuance to nationals of 19 countries – 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 also to individuals applying using Palestinian Authority travel documents.
The Department is also partially suspending visa issuance to nationals of 19 additional countries – 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 – for nonimmigrant B-1/B-2 visitor visas and F, M, J student and exchange visitor visas, and all immigrant visas with limited exceptions.
Under Proclamation 10998, as of January 1, 2026, the following categorical exceptions provided in the prior Proclamation 10949 for nationals subject to the suspension on entry are no longer available: immediate family immigrant visas (IR-1/CR-1, IR-2/CR-2, IR-5); adoption visas (IR-3, IR-4, IH-3, IH-4); and Afghan Special Immigrant Visas.
Visa applicants who are subject to Presidential Proclamation 10998 may still submit visa applications and schedule interviews, but they may be ineligible for visa issuance or admission to the United States.
Why it matters
This proclamation fundamentally shifts case strategy and eligibility determinations for any applicant from the 39 affected countries. Family-based practitioners can no longer rely on immediate-relative categories (IR visas) or adoption visas as automatic exceptions. Employment and student visa applicants from the 19 partially suspended countries face blanket bars unless they fall within narrow excepted categories.
The suspension removes categorical exceptions that existed under the prior proclamation, requiring you to analyze each case against the narrower grounds in Proclamation 10998 itself. Many cases that were approvable under the prior framework are now ineligible unless the applicant qualifies for a discretionary case-by-case National Interest Exception—a higher burden requiring Secretary of State or DHS Secretary determination.
Applicants can still file and attend interviews, but adjudicators will evaluate them against a restrictive standard. You’ll need to understand the full text of Proclamation 10998, available at https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/12/restricting-and-limiting-the-entry-of-foreign-nationals-to-protect-the-security-of-the-united-states/, to identify what exceptions (if any) apply to your client’s visa category and circumstances.
Way forward
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Identify affected nationals immediately. Cross-check every applicant’s nationality or country of residence against both the full-suspension list (19 countries) and the partial-suspension list (19 additional countries) to determine whether your case is affected and to what degree.
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Review available visa categories. For partially suspended countries, determine whether your client’s visa category (B-1/B-2, F/M/J student, or immigrant) is subject to the suspension and what exceptions (if any) are listed in Proclamation 10998.
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Assess National Interest Exception pathway. If your case does not fall within a categorical exception, research whether the client qualifies for a case-by-case National Interest Exception determination under Proclamation 10998. This requires coordination between State and DHS and is highly fact-dependent.
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Advise clients on timing and interviews. Applicants can still file and interview, but they face heightened uncertainty on approval. Manage client expectations and discuss whether filing now (subject to potential denial) or waiting for any policy changes makes sense for the client’s circumstances.
Disclaimer
This article explains a State Department policy announcement but is not legal advice. The proclamation and its application involve complex national-security determinations that require review against the full text of Presidential Proclamation 10998 and current guidance from consular posts. Consult a licensed immigration attorney before filing any application affected by these restrictions. Policy may change without notice, and individual circumstances vary widely; you should verify the applicant’s nationality, visa category, and any available exceptions against the authoritative source at https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/visas-news/suspension-of-visa-issuance-to-foreign-nationals-to-protect-the-security-of-the-united-states.html and the full text of the proclamation.