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UNITED STATES – Impact of the 2025 U.S. travel ban on individuals and businesses.
June 6, 2025
By Paul Buckley and Soo Gurtcheff-Smit.
On June 4, 2025, President Donald Trump signed a new travel ban affecting nationals of 19 countries. The proclamation, effective June 9, fully restricts entry into the United States for nationals of Afghanistan, Myanmar (Burma), Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
In addition, partial restrictions apply to nationals of Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. These may include limitations on certain visa categories or heightened entry eligibility requirements.
Exemptions apply for lawful permanent residents, dual nationals traveling on a passport from a non-restricted country, certain diplomatic and family-based immigration categories, and athletes participating in international events.
Background: How we got here.
This is not the first U.S. travel ban of its kind. The 2017 version, put forth by President Trump in his first term in office and upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court, was met with significant legal and public scrutiny. The current 2025 proclamation builds on that precedent but includes more detailed justifications and narrowly defined exemptions. The administration cites national security concerns, including lack of identity verification standards, high visa overstay rates, and limited cooperation from some countries in accepting deported individuals.
Impact on nationals from affected countries.
For individuals from the 12 fully restricted countries, the policy presents a near-total ban on new visa issuance and entry into the U.S. This affects students, tourists, business visitors, and skilled professionals alike. Significant delays or visa denials should be expected, even for those with pending applications. Nationals from the seven partially restricted countries may still be eligible for certain visa types, but with heightened scrutiny, additional documentation requirements, and longer processing times.
Impact on employers and global mobility programs.
Businesses with operations or talent pipelines involving the affected countries must adapt quickly. U.S. companies employing nationals from the restricted list should anticipate facing visa refusals or the inability to onboard new hires. Likewise, multinational organizations that send U.S. citizens to the affected countries must prepare for reciprocal measures or operational slowdowns, including delays in visa processing, increased compliance obligations, and potential risk assessments.
Corporate travel programs should reassess mobility plans, audit traveler nationality data, and evaluate any cross-border assignments involving impacted individuals. Non-compliance or a failure to proactively address these restrictions could result in legal liability, missed project milestones, and employee well-being challenges.
How Newland Chase can help.
Newland Chase provides strategic guidance to help clients navigate the evolving landscape of U.S. travel restrictions. Our team supports businesses and individuals by:
- Conducting risk assessments for global mobility programs involving nationals from affected countries.
- Identifying applicable exemptions for dual nationals, family-based visa categories, or mission-critical roles.
- Coordinating with global offices to manage alternative routing strategies and third-country visa applications.
- Providing compliance audits and policy reviews to ensure alignment with current U.S. immigration requirements.
- Supporting impacted travelers with appeals, waivers (where applicable), and consular engagement
With a global team of immigration experts and on-the-ground insights, Newland Chase delivers responsive, legally sound solutions that help mitigate the impact of restrictive immigration policies while keeping businesses agile and compliant. For further assistance, please contact your Newland Chase representative.
This immigration update is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for legal or scenario-specific advice. Furthermore, it is important to note that immigration announcements are subject to sudden and unexpected changes. Readers are encouraged to reach out to Newland Chase for any case- or company-specific assessments.
