Africa has emerged as the most affected region after the United States, under President Donald Trump, expanded its travel restrictions to include 16 additional African countries.
As of December 16, 2025, African nations now account for 67 percent of all countries facing full or partial U.S. entry restrictions, raising concerns about the policy’s diplomatic, economic, and humanitarian impact.
The expansion marks one of the most sweeping U.S. immigration crackdowns targeting a single region in recent years, significantly limiting travel for African citizens seeking entry into the United States for tourism, education, business, or family reunification.
Countries Facing Full Entry Restrictions
Under the updated measures, several African nations are now subject to full U.S. entry restrictions.
These include Burkina Faso, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sudan, and Somalia.
Citizens from these countries face near-total bans on entry, with only narrow exemptions in exceptional circumstances.
Nations Under Partial Restrictions
In addition to the full bans, a wider group of African countries has been placed under partial restrictions.
These measures limit certain visa categories or impose stricter screening requirements.
Affected countries include Angola, Mauritania, Benin, Nigeria, Burundi, Senegal, Gabon, Tanzania, The Gambia, Togo, Ivory Coast, Zambia, Malawi, and Zimbabwe.
While not absolute bans, these partial restrictions are expected to slow visa processing times and reduce approval rates, particularly for non-immigrant travel.
U.S. officials have defended the expanded restrictions on the grounds of national security, citing concerns over identity verification systems, passport integrity, and information-sharing compliance.
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