Travelers' Woes: Exploring Us Travel Restrictions Globally

The US has a history of imposing travel bans on certain countries, with the Trump administration's 'Muslim ban' being one of the most controversial. In 2025, the US was considering a travel ban on citizens from 43 countries, including Russia. This ban would have restricted entry for citizens from Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen. The US State Department routinely evaluates countries worldwide and provides travel guidance for citizens, with advisories based on factors such as crime, terrorism, and political instability. As of March 2025, the US Embassy in Kabul has ceased operations, and the US government advises Americans not to travel to Belarus due to the risk of detention and civil unrest.

The US is considering banning travel to 11 countries

The US State Department has said that the list of 11 countries is subject to change and is yet to be approved. The ban has been proposed to address "national security and public safety threats".

The US is not the only country to implement travel restrictions. The US Department of State currently advises Americans not to travel to Belarus, due to the risk of detention and civil unrest, and Afghanistan, due to the dangers of armed conflict, civil unrest, crime, terrorism and kidnapping. The US Embassy in Kabul ceased operations in 2021 and the US government says it cannot provide consular services to American citizens in the country.

The US has banned citizens from Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen from entering the country

In 2021, the US lifted its ban on international travellers, allowing vaccinated people to enter the country. The US has also reopened its land borders with Canada and Mexico. However, some countries have closed their borders to US citizens, including Cambodia, Chile and Sri Lanka.

The US travel ban has been a source of controversy, with industry experts and European allies pushing for an end to country-specific bans. The ban has also been criticised for discriminating against the countries on the list and violating US immigration law.

The US is not the only country considering travel bans; in 2025, the US State Department put together a list of 43 countries that could be subject to a travel ban. The list includes 11 countries in the "red" category, whose citizens would be entirely barred from entering the US, and 10 countries in the "orange" category, whose citizens would be limited from entering and required to have specific visas. The list is still subject to change and has not yet been approved.

The US State Department advises Americans not to travel to Belarus

The US State Department has advised Americans not to travel to Belarus. This is due to the Belarusian authorities' arbitrary enforcement of local laws, the risk of detention, the continued facilitation of Russia's war against Ukraine, the potential of civil unrest, and the Embassy's limited ability to assist US citizens residing in or travelling to Belarus. Americans are urged not to travel to Belarus due to the threat of crime, kidnapping, and terrorism.

The US State Department routinely evaluates countries worldwide to provide travel guidance for citizens. Advisories are based on various factors, including crime, terrorism, civil and political instability, healthcare conditions, and the risk of natural disasters. These advisories are the highest level, indicating a significant risk to travellers.

The US is also considering banning all travel to the country from 11 countries, the so-called "red list". The other countries are in the "yellow and orange" lists. The "red" category would entirely bar citizens from entering the US, and includes Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen. The "orange" category would affect immigrant, tourist and student visas, with some exceptions. This list consists of Belarus, Eritrea, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar, Pakistan, Russia, Sierra Leone, South Sudan and Turkmenistan.

The US Supreme Court has also allowed a revised version of the ban, which continued to restrict entry for citizens from Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen.

The US Embassy in Kabul ceased operations in 2021 and the US government cannot provide consular services to American citizens in Afghanistan

The US is considering banning travel to the country from 11 countries, including Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen. These countries are on the so-called "red list". The US State Department has categorised countries into three tiers: red, orange and yellow. Citizens from the 11 countries in the "red" category would be entirely barred from entering the US. The US Embassy in Kabul ceased operations in 2021, and the US government says it cannot provide routine or emergency consular services to American citizens in Afghanistan. The Department of State advises Americans not to travel to Belarus due to the risk of detention, the potential of civil unrest, and the Embassy's limited ability to assist US citizens.

The US Supreme Court has allowed a revised version of the ban, which continues to restrict entry for citizens from Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen. During his campaign, Trump promised to reinstate the travel ban. In January 2017, he signed an executive order titled "Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States", which barred the entry of Syrian refugees and temporarily suspended entry for individuals from Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. This decision led to protests nationwide over what was dubbed the "Muslim ban".

Trump's 2017 executive order, Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States, barred Syrian refugees from entering the US

In March 2025, it was reported that the US was considering banning all travel to the country from 11 countries, including Russia. The US State Department categorised countries into three tiers: red, orange, and yellow. Citizens from the 11 countries in the "red" category would be entirely barred from entering the US. These countries include Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen. The US Supreme Court later allowed a revised version of the ban, which continued to restrict entry for citizens from Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen.

In 2017, President Trump signed an executive order titled "Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States." The order barred the entry of Syrian refugees into the US and temporarily suspended entry for individuals from Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. The order was in effect from 27 January 2017 until 6 March 2017, when it was superseded by Executive Order 13780, a second order sharing the same title. The 2017 decision led to chaos at airports and sparked protests nationwide over what its detractors dubbed the "Muslim ban". Judges in several states quickly blocked the initial ban, citing discrimination against the countries on the list and violation of US immigration law.

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