BREAKING: US expands travel restrictions, adds Nigeria to affected countries

The United States has expanded its travel restrictions after President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed a new Proclamation limiting entry for citizens of countries considered high-risk to American security and public safety.

Nigeria is among 15 new countries placed under partial travel restrictions, according to the latest directive.

Details of the decision were published on the White House website in a fact sheet titled “President Donald J. Trump Further Restricts and Limits the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States”, dated December 16, 2025.

The White House said the move targets countries with “demonstrated, persistent, and severe deficiencies in screening, vetting, and information-sharing” that could pose threats to the United States.

It will be recalled that on October 31, President Trump had designated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” following allegations of a Christian genocide in the country.

Describing the policy shift, the White House said the action is aimed at “strengthening national security through common sense restrictions based on data.”

Under the Proclamation, full entry bans and limitations remain in force for nationals of the original 12 countries listed in Proclamation 10949. 

These include Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.

Five more countries Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, and Syria have now been added to the list of countries facing full restrictions, alongside individuals using Palestinian-Authority-issued travel documents.

Laos and Sierra Leone, which previously had partial restrictions, have also been moved to the full restriction category.

Meanwhile, Burundi, Cuba, Togo, and Venezuela continue to be subject to partial entry limitations.

The newly announced partial restrictions apply to 15 countries: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

According to the fact sheet, “exceptions for lawful permanent residents, existing visa holders, certain visa categories like athletes and diplomats, and individuals whose entry serves U.S. national interests” will still apply.

It added that some family-based immigrant visa exemptions associated with “demonstrated fraud risks” have been reduced, though waivers may still be granted on a case-by-case basis.

Explaining the basis for the restrictions, the White House stated that the Proclamation is required “to prevent the entry of foreign nationals about whom the United States lacks sufficient information to assess the risks they pose, garner cooperation from foreign governments, enforce our immigration laws, and advance other important foreign policy, national security, and counterterrorism objectives.”

President Trump was quoted as saying: “It is the President’s duty to take action to ensure that those seeking to enter our country will not harm the American people.”

The document further notes that following consultations with cabinet members and reviews guided by Executive Order 14161, Proclamation 10949, and country-specific data, “President Trump has determined that the entry of nationals from additional countries must be restricted or limited to protect U.S. national security and public safety interests.”

The White House said the measures are tailored to each country to promote cooperation, citing issues such as “widespread corruption, fraudulent or unreliable civil documents and criminal records, and nonexistent birth-registration systems systemically preventing accurate vetting.”

It also pointed to challenges including refusal by some governments to share passport samples or law enforcement information, abuse of Citizenship-by-Investment programs, high visa overstay rates, failure to accept deported nationals, and the presence of “terrorist, criminal, and extremist activity.”

Framing the decision as part of a broader agenda, the fact sheet stated: “President Trump is keeping his promise to restore travel restrictions on dangerous countries and to secure our borders.”

The document referenced a previous Supreme Court ruling that upheld similar policies, noting that the Court found the restrictions “is squarely within the scope of Presidential authority” and are based on “legitimate purposes,” including improved vetting and encouraging cooperation from foreign governments.

The White House also disclosed that Turkmenistan has shown improved collaboration with U.S. authorities. 

As a result, the ban on its nonimmigrant visas has been lifted, although restrictions on immigrant entry for Turkmen nationals remain in place.