Tamizdat Brief: US Travel Ban Advisory
Published December 23, 2025
Several US immigration policy updates were announced in the last two weeks—some were announced officially and some were only announced through social media with no official guidance. In this advisory we do our best to explain what we know and what we expect from these changes. We remain steadfast in our commitment to helping our community navigate these tumultuous, inexplicable, and often cruel changes in US immigration policy and practice.
Of course, this advisory only provides information and should not be considered legal counsel, which can only be provided in reference to the facts of your specific case. Professionals in the performing arts should feel free to contact TamizdatAVAIL if they have questions.
The main points:
Over the last two weeks, the US Government issued new rules that may impact international travelers who are coming to the US:
Expanded Travel Ban: President Trump’s new travel ban either limits or completely bars the issuing of US visas for nationals of 40 countries (including those traveling with documents issued by the Palestinian Authority). The new restrictions go into effect at 12:01 am EST, January 1, 2026. The new rules do not apply to people who are physically present in the United States on January 1, or who have a valid US visa on that date. No visas will be revoked as a result of the new ban.
>>> We are currently testing legal strategies for circumventing these bans.
Suspended Processing: USCIS has announced that it has “paused” processing of both immigrant and nonimmigrant related benefits to individuals who are nationals of or were born in any of the 40 banned countries (including the Palestinian Authority). You heard it right: USCIS will not process any case for a person who was born in a country listed in the travel ban, even if they are a citizen of a non-banned country.
>>> If you are impacted by this, we entourage you to click here for information about joining a pending class action lawsuit being prepared against the US government.
Diversity Visa Lottery Suspended: Although no official policy statement has been issued, media reports that on December 18, President Trump suspended the Diversity Visa program, also known as the “Green Card Lottery.”
>>> We await official word on the scope of this suspension.
What bans apply to which countries?
Trump’s travel ban proclamations suspend immigrant and nonimmigrant visa issuance for 19 countries. These 11 were already banned following the prior June travel ban: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. These seven countries have been added to that list: Burkina Faso, Laos (previously only on the “partially restricted” list), Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone (previously only on the “partially restricted” list), South Sudan, and Syria. In addition, foreign nationals who seek to travel to the United States using Palestinian Authority-issued or endorsed travel documents will not be issued a US nonimmigrant or immigrant visa.
The proclamations suspend issuance of immigrant visas and only B, F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas for another 19 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.
The proclamation suspends only immigrant visas for Turkmenistan nationals, which is a reduction of the restriction outlined for this country in June.
Are there exceptions to the new travel bans?
- As with the June travel ban, no nonimmigrant or immigrant visa issued before the effective date of the proclamation will be revoked as a result of the new ban.
- The ban applies only to nationals of the above countries who:
(1) Are outside of the United States on January 1, 2026; and
(2) Do not have a valid visa on January 1, 2026.
So if an individual is in the US on January 1, 2026, or if they have a current US visa on January 1, 2026, the ban does not apply to them. However, we would caution individuals of banned nationalities entering the US on existing valid visas to be prepared for enhanced screening and potential disorganization and confusion at US ports of entry.
Who is affected by USCIS’s “pausing” of processing?
- Nationals of banned countries: USCIS appears to be “pausing” processing of all immigration benefits (visas, green cards, adjustments of status, etc.) for nationals of all banned countries (including the Palestinian Authority).
- Nationals of ANY country who were born in a banned country. That’s right: USCIS appears to be “pausing” processing of all immigration benefits (visas, green cards, adjustments of status, etc.) for individuals who are nationals of non-banned countries, but who were born in any of the 40 banned countries (including the Palestinian Authority). If you are impacted by this, see here for information about joining a pending class action lawsuit being prepared against the US government.
What foreign nationals will be exempted from the travel bans?
- Individuals who are in the United States on January 1, 2026;
- Individuals who have a valid visa in any category as of January 1, 2026;
- Individuals who are US lawful permanent residents (green card holders);
- Individuals who have dual nationality, where one of the nationalities is not subject to the ban, provided the individual is traveling on a passport issued by the non-banned country;
- Individuals who are athletes or members of an athletic team, including coaches, those performing a necessary support role, and immediate relatives, traveling for the World Cup, Olympics, or other major sporting event as determined by the Secretary of State;
- Individuals who are traveling with a valid nonimmigrant visa in the following classifications for foreign diplomats and certain officials of foreign governments and international organizations: A-1, A-2, C-2, C-3, G-1, G-2, G-3, G-4, NATO-1, NATO‑2, NATO-3, NATO-4, NATO-5, or NATO-6;
- Individuals who are applying for Special Immigrant Visas for certain US government employees;
- Individuals who are immigrant visa applicants and who are ethnic and religious minorities facing persecution in Iran;
- Individuals whose travel is deemed to advance a critical US national interest involving the Department of Justice; and
- Individuals whose travel is deemed to serve the US national interest, as determined by the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Homeland Security, or their designee.
- Individuals who have been granted asylum or to refugees already admitted to the United States,
- Individuals who are seeking asylum or seeking protection under the Convention Against Torture (CAT).
Where do we go from here? What can we do about this?
As the Trump administration continues to restrict legal immigration pathways, target immigrants and diaspora communities, and undermine the rule of law in the US, our legal advocacy community is doing phenomenal work to push back against their cruel and unfair policies and practices. National organizations like IMMpact Litigation, National Immigration Law Center, American Immigration Counsel, Immigrant Legal Resource Center, ACLU, Artistic Freedom Initiative, CoveyLaw, and Safe Passage Project, join us at Tamizdat and countless regional and local organizations, law firms, and grassroots efforts to protect immigrants and the diversity of our nation. Please support these organizations in whatever ways you can.