What’s Happening?
Country-Specific Travel Ban
On June 4, 2025, President Trump issued a new Presidential Proclamation (“Country Specific Travel Ban”) implementing a new travel ban that restricts entry for foreign nationals from 19 countries, with different levels of restrictions applied based on the perceived security risk. The full and partial suspensions will go into effect at 12:01 a.m. ET on Monday, June 9, 2025 and apply to nationals of impacted countries who are both:
Outside of the U.S. as of the effective date of the ban; and
Do not have a valid nonimmigrant or immigrant visa as of the date of the ban.
The countries with full suspension are Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Unless and exception applies, nationals from these countries with full suspension are not able to enter the U.S. at this time. This suspension applies to both immigrants and nonimmigrants.
The countries with partial suspension are Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. Under the partial suspension, unless and exception applies, nationals from these countries are not able to enter the U.S. on immigrant visas, or on certain non-immigrant visas including: B visitor visas, F-1 student visa, M-1 student visa, and J-1 exchange visitor visa.
For the seven countries subject to the partial suspension, the proclamation instructs consular officers to shorten the validity period of any nonimmigrant visa issued under a non-suspended nonimmigrant category, “to the extent permitted by law.” However, it remains unclear how consulates will determine the extent of this limitation.
The Proclamation also confirms that no nonimmigrant or immigrant visas issued before the June 9th effective dates will be revoked as a result of the ban.
Finally, the Proclamation calls for periodic review of the list of travel ban countries to assess whether restrictions should be removed, updated, modified, or continued and also calls for a review of whether some level of travel restrictions should be imposed on nationals of Egypt.
Harvard Travel Ban
UPDATE: On the evening on June 5, 2025, Massachusetts District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs granted Harvard’s request for a temporary restraining order, blocking the Trump administration from enforcing the Harvard Travel Ban until June 16th, when a hearing is scheduled to consider a preliminary injunction that would prevent the Trump administration from enforcing the travel ban while litigation is ongoing.
In addition to the nationality-based travel ban, the President also issued an additional Proclamation (“Harvard Travel Ban”) that applies to all foreign nationals who enter or attempt to enter the United States to begin attending Harvard University through the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) (which governs F, M, and J visa admissions) after the date of this proclamation. The Harvard Travel Ban is effective immediately and will remain in effect for at least six months.
The Proclamation also directs the Secretary of State and various other agencies to assess whether existing F, M, and J visa holders currently attending Harvard should have their visas revoked and whether limitations should be imposed on Harvard’s ability to participate in the Student Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) and the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), which are required for the University to enroll foreign students.
Available Exceptions to the Travel Bans
Country Specific Travel Ban
The Country Specific Travel Ban, which takes effect at 12:01 a.m. ET on Monday, June 9, 2025, includes a list of both categorical exceptions as well as exceptions available on a case-by-case basis when deemed in the “national interest.”
Relevant categorical exceptions include but are not limited to*:
Those inside the US with a valid visa before the effective date of the ban;
Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR);
Dual nationals traveling on a passport of a country not covered by the travel ban;
Those traveling under immediate family immigrant visas–IR-1, CR-1, IR-2, CR-2, or IR-5–with clear and convincing evidence of identity and family relationship (e.g., DNA)
Diplomats and certain government officials;
Individuals granted waivers on national security or humanitarian grounds
*For a full list of exemptions please refer to Section 4.b of the Proclamation
The Proclamation also outlines that individuals will be able to request “National Interest Exceptions” which will be assessed on a case-by-base basis and includes a specific carve out for impacted individuals whose travel to the U.S. is to participate in criminal proceedings as a witness when doing so “would advance a critical United States national interest involving the Department of Justice.” Further guidance on implementation procedures and processes and criteria for seeking national interest exceptions are expected though the timeline for these is unclear. Under the travel bans from the first Trump Administration, individual consular posts were given discretion to develop post-specific processes and criteria for adjudicating requests for national interest exemptions and it remains to be seen whether a more consistent process will be implemented for the new travel ban.
Harvard Travel Ban
The Harvard Travel Ban does not apply to:
Individuals seeking admission to the U.S. in F, M, or J status to commence studies at any other universities; and
Impacted Harvard students whose travel to the U.S. is determined to be in the national interest.
Note that while the Harvard Travel Ban includes a National Interest Exception carveout, the administration has not yet provided specifics on the process for requesting such exceptions or applicable criteria for demonstrating that an individual’s entry to commence studies at Harvard would be in the national interest.
While not explicitly addressed in the Proclamation, the plain wording of the Harvard Travel Ban indicates that it would not apply to:
Existing Harvard students, faculty, or exchange visitors (e.g., those who are not coming to the U.S. to begin a course of study at Harvard);
Current Harvard students and alumni currently working in the United States pursuant to a grant of F-1 Optional Practical Training (OPT) or Curricular Practical Training (CPT);
Harvard alumni seeking entry to the U.S. on other employment based nonimmigrant visas (H-1B, TN, L-1, visas, etc.).
Note, however, that existing Harvard students who do not currently have a valid F-1 visa stamp may still face international travel restrictions due to the temporary pause on the scheduling of F-1 visa appointments. Therefore, Harvard students who are not subject to the ban but would require a new F-1 visa stamp to return from international travel should consult with immigration counsel before booking international travel.
Individuals who believe they may be subject to the Harvard Travel Ban should reach out to their Designated School Official (DSO) for guidance and should continue to monitor additional developments as a legal challenge to the ban is expected in the coming days.
How to Prepare for the Country-Specific Travel Ban
Impacted Individuals with Valid Visa Stamps Should Return to the U.S. ASAP
The ability of foreign nationals impacted by the Country-Specific Travel Ban who are currently outside the United States to return before the Ban takes effect on June 9th, will depend on whether they currently have a valid visa stamp. Impacted travelers with valid visa stamps should make every effort to return to the U.S. before the ban takes effect at 12:01 a.m. ET on Monday, June 9, 2025
Impacted travelers who currently do not have a valid visa stamp or who have a pending immigrant or nonimmigrant visa application should consult with immigration counsel to assess whether they may qualify for either a categorical or national interest exception to the travel ban.
All travelers to the U.S. should budget extra time and be prepared for additional delays and vetting while CBP and Consular officers await implementation guidance.
D&S is continuing to monitor this developing situation and will provide updates as they become available.