International-education association NAFSA published a comprehensive advisory on 5 January 2026 dissecting Presidential Proclamation 10998, which took effect on New Year’s Day and expands entry bans first introduced in 2025. The proclamation now fully bars immigrants and non-immigrants from 20 countries—including eight new additions such as Burkina Faso and Laos—and partially restricts B-1/B-2, F, M and J visa issuance for nationals of 19 others.
NAFSA’s alert clarifies scope, exemptions and national-interest waiver pathways, offering a quick-reference table that global mobility teams can use to triage affected employees and students. Crucially, the ban applies only to individuals outside the United States who lacked a valid visa as of 1 January 2026; those already in the U.S. or holding valid visas are not impacted. Consular officials must, however, reduce visa validity for affected non-immigrant categories “to the extent permitted by law,” meaning shorter entry windows may become the norm.
VisaHQ’s visa-processing platform (https://www.visahq.com/united-states/) can help employers, universities and individual travelers navigate the shifting rules by providing up-to-date country-specific requirements, application checklists and document-courier services; its team also monitors presidential proclamations and consular notices, alerting clients when new waivers or alternative visa options become available.
![NAFSA Issues Detailed Guidance on New Presidential Travel Ban (Proclamation 10998)]()
For universities and multinational companies, the immediate task is auditing populations from the 39 covered countries (20 fully banned, 19 partially) and advising them not to travel internationally unless absolutely necessary. Study-abroad and rotational-assignment calendars should be re-evaluated, and contingency plans drafted to shift work to alternative jurisdictions if key staff cannot re-enter.
The proclamation retains discretionary case-by-case waivers for individuals whose travel “serves the U.S. national interest.” Early indications suggest STEM researchers, healthcare professionals and critical-infrastructure specialists stand the best chance of approval, but adjudication criteria remain opaque. Legal counsel should prepare robust evidence packages linking the traveller’s role to U.S. strategic priorities.
NAFSA expects additional implementing guidance from the Departments of State and Homeland Security in the coming weeks, including updated visa-appointment instructions and SEVIS alerts for F-1 students. Mobility managers should subscribe to consular feeds and NAFSA updates to stay current.
NAFSA’s alert clarifies scope, exemptions and national-interest waiver pathways, offering a quick-reference table that global mobility teams can use to triage affected employees and students. Crucially, the ban applies only to individuals outside the United States who lacked a valid visa as of 1 January 2026; those already in the U.S. or holding valid visas are not impacted. Consular officials must, however, reduce visa validity for affected non-immigrant categories “to the extent permitted by law,” meaning shorter entry windows may become the norm.
VisaHQ’s visa-processing platform (https://www.visahq.com/united-states/) can help employers, universities and individual travelers navigate the shifting rules by providing up-to-date country-specific requirements, application checklists and document-courier services; its team also monitors presidential proclamations and consular notices, alerting clients when new waivers or alternative visa options become available.
For universities and multinational companies, the immediate task is auditing populations from the 39 covered countries (20 fully banned, 19 partially) and advising them not to travel internationally unless absolutely necessary. Study-abroad and rotational-assignment calendars should be re-evaluated, and contingency plans drafted to shift work to alternative jurisdictions if key staff cannot re-enter.
The proclamation retains discretionary case-by-case waivers for individuals whose travel “serves the U.S. national interest.” Early indications suggest STEM researchers, healthcare professionals and critical-infrastructure specialists stand the best chance of approval, but adjudication criteria remain opaque. Legal counsel should prepare robust evidence packages linking the traveller’s role to U.S. strategic priorities.
NAFSA expects additional implementing guidance from the Departments of State and Homeland Security in the coming weeks, including updated visa-appointment instructions and SEVIS alerts for F-1 students. Mobility managers should subscribe to consular feeds and NAFSA updates to stay current.
