With less than two weeks before the new year, the U.S. Department of State quietly updated its website on December 19 to announce an expansive suspension of visa services for 39 countries. The move implements Presidential Proclamation 10998—signed by President Trump on December 16—which “restricts and limits” the entry of foreign nationals deemed security risks. Effective 12:01 a.m. EST on January 1 2026, consular officers will cease issuing any immigrant or non-immigrant visas to citizens of 19 countries such as Afghanistan, Iran, Haiti and Syria. A further 19 nations, including Nigeria and Venezuela, face partial suspensions that cut off visitor, student and most employment visas. Holders of travel documents endorsed by the Palestinian Authority are also barred.
Unlike earlier travel bans, Proclamation 10998 removes broad family-based and adoption exceptions, though limited waivers remain for diplomats, U.S. government contractors and certain sporting-event participants. Existing visas will remain valid, but applicants already in the pipeline are expected to see cases refused under INA §212(f) security grounds. CBP has begun coding affected passports to trigger secondary inspections at ports of entry starting New Year’s Day.
Amid this uncertainty, VisaHQ’s seasoned compliance team can rapidly audit travel plans, suggest third-country processing alternatives, and keep HR managers updated through its real-time dashboard. For tailored guidance or to start an application, visit https://www.visahq.com/united-states/.
![State Department suspends visa issuance for nationals of 39 countries under Proclamation 10998]()
For multinationals, the impact is immediate: transferees from Nigerian or Venezuelan subsidiaries will not receive L-1 or B-1/B-2 visas; graduate admits from Syrian universities lose F-1 eligibility; and oil-and-gas projects employing Equatorial Guinean engineers must shift staffing to third-country nationals. Global mobility teams are rushing to identify employees, dependents and interns whose passports place them in the cross-hairs, advising urgent travel to the United States before the effective date where feasible.
Human-rights advocates are preparing litigation, arguing that the proclamation exceeds the “temporary” authority upheld in the 2018 Supreme Court decision on Trump v. Hawaii. Business groups, meanwhile, warn that the ban undercuts the administration’s push for foreign direct investment by adding a new layer of geopolitical risk. In the nearer term, airlines are bracing for denied-boarding scenarios and advising carriers to verify passenger nationality more scrupulously to avoid fines.
Consulates have stressed that nationals of suspended countries may still submit applications and pay fees, but they should “expect refusal.” Applicants can request a national-interest waiver, yet approvals are likely to be rare. Mobility professionals are therefore updating assignment policies, revising cost projections and exploring remote-work or third-country hubs to keep critical projects on schedule.
Unlike earlier travel bans, Proclamation 10998 removes broad family-based and adoption exceptions, though limited waivers remain for diplomats, U.S. government contractors and certain sporting-event participants. Existing visas will remain valid, but applicants already in the pipeline are expected to see cases refused under INA §212(f) security grounds. CBP has begun coding affected passports to trigger secondary inspections at ports of entry starting New Year’s Day.
Amid this uncertainty, VisaHQ’s seasoned compliance team can rapidly audit travel plans, suggest third-country processing alternatives, and keep HR managers updated through its real-time dashboard. For tailored guidance or to start an application, visit https://www.visahq.com/united-states/.
For multinationals, the impact is immediate: transferees from Nigerian or Venezuelan subsidiaries will not receive L-1 or B-1/B-2 visas; graduate admits from Syrian universities lose F-1 eligibility; and oil-and-gas projects employing Equatorial Guinean engineers must shift staffing to third-country nationals. Global mobility teams are rushing to identify employees, dependents and interns whose passports place them in the cross-hairs, advising urgent travel to the United States before the effective date where feasible.
Human-rights advocates are preparing litigation, arguing that the proclamation exceeds the “temporary” authority upheld in the 2018 Supreme Court decision on Trump v. Hawaii. Business groups, meanwhile, warn that the ban undercuts the administration’s push for foreign direct investment by adding a new layer of geopolitical risk. In the nearer term, airlines are bracing for denied-boarding scenarios and advising carriers to verify passenger nationality more scrupulously to avoid fines.
Consulates have stressed that nationals of suspended countries may still submit applications and pay fees, but they should “expect refusal.” Applicants can request a national-interest waiver, yet approvals are likely to be rare. Mobility professionals are therefore updating assignment policies, revising cost projections and exploring remote-work or third-country hubs to keep critical projects on schedule.
