In 2017, the Trump administration implemented travel restrictions affecting several countries primarily due to security concerns. Initially, the executive order listed seven countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.
However, the list was later expanded through subsequent orders and additional designations to include various countries identified for specific visa restrictions, but there was not a definitive unified list of 39 countries officially banned. Instead, each iteration and clarification modified which countries faced certain travel restrictions.
For more detailed context or specific restrictions that might have been in place, please let me know!
Countries with Full Suspension of Entry
The following 19 countries faced a full suspension of entry for both immigrant and non-immigrant visas:
- Afghanistan
- Burkina Faso
- Burma (Myanmar)
- Chad
- Republic of the Congo
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Haiti
- Iran
- Laos
- Libya
- Mali
- Niger
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Sudan
- Syria
- Yemen
Additionally, individuals traveling on any travel documents issued or endorsed by the Palestinian Authority also faced a full suspension.
Countries with Partial Restrictions
The following 20 countries had partial restrictions, primarily affecting non-immigrant visas like tourist or student visas:
- Angola
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Benin
- Burundi
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Cuba
- Dominica
- Gabon
- The Gambia
- Malawi
- Mauritania
- Nigeria
- Senegal
- Tanzania
- Togo
- Tonga
- Turkmenistan
- Venezuela
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
TAccording to press reports, these restrictions were put in place citing national security concerns and aimed to ensure rigorous screening and vetting of individuals seeking to enter the United States.