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Adoptees now included in Travel Ban

  • AdoptInter
  • 6 days ago
  • 3 min read

Urge Your Lawmakers to Ask the President to Exempt Adoptees from Travel Ban


Effective 12:01am EST on January 1, 2026, the President continues and expanded restrictions on entry for nationals of certain countries including "adoption-based immigration" from the visa categories barred entry to the United States which in earlier travel bans were listed exempt.


What this means, is that Prospective Adoptive Parent(s) (who are US Citizens) who have been matched or in the process of applying to adopt a child in a country that is "banned" cannot come home to the United States with their adopted child.


Take Action


National Council For Adoption (NCFA) has developed a quick and easy tool for you to contact your members of Congress so you can make your voice be heard on important adoption policies and proposed legislation.


Take 60 seconds and visit the NCFA advocacy hub. Simply input your street address and zip code (no post-office boxes, please) and easily send an email to your federal lawmakers: https://adoptioncouncil.org/advocacy/action-center/#/31


More details about the Travel Ban


Proclamation 10998 of December 16, 2025 adds countries, modifies some restrictions, and modifies the exceptions (which no longer exempts adoption-based visas) to the travel bans that were announced on June 4, 2025. The ban provides for a full suspension on entry for nationals of some countries, and a partial restriction for others.


Full Travel Ban: The full bans suspend entry to the United States on both immigrant and nonimmigrant visas. The new ban continues the full suspension of entry for nationals from the following countries:

  • Afghanistan

  • Burma (Myanmar)

  • Chad

  • Republic of the Congo

  • Equatorial Guinea

  • Eritrea

  • Haiti

  • Iran

  • Libya

  • Somalia

  • Sudan

  • Yemen

  • The new ban adds the following countries to the full suspension on entry:

  • Burkina Faso

  • Laos

  • Mali

  • Niger

  • Sierra Leone

  • South Sudan

  • Syria

  • It also includes individuals using travel documents issued or endorsed by the Palestinian Authority (PA).


Partial Travel Ban: The partial bans restrict entry to the United States on B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas, and reduces the validity of other nonimmigrant visas. The new ban continues the partial suspension on entry for nationals of:

  • Burundi

  • Cuba

  • Togo

  • Venezuela

  • The new ban adds the following countries to the partial suspension on entry:

  • Angola

  • Antigua and Barbuda

  • Benin

  • Cote d ‘Ivoire

  • Dominica

  • Gabon

  • The Gambia

  • Malawi

  • Mauritania

  • Nigeria

  • Senegal

  • Tanzania

  • Tonga

  • Zambia

  • Zimbabwe


The new ban removes Turkmenistan from the Partial Travel Ban list for purposes of nonimmigrant visas but continues the ban on nationals of Turkmenistan entering the United States using immigrant visas.


Removed Exceptions: The new ban eliminates the following categorical exceptions from the June 4th Proclamation:

  • Immigrant visas for family members in the U.S.

  • Adoptions (IR-3, IR-4, IH-3, IH-4)

  • Afghan Special Immigrant Visas


National Interest Exceptions: The new ban provides for exceptions in the national interest based on a determination by the Attorney General, Secretary of State or Secretary of Homeland Security.


The proclamation takes effect January 1, 2026. (90 FR 59717, 12/19/25), Presidential Documents, Proclamation 10998 of December 16, 2025. You can download

the full Proclamation below.


Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals To Protect the Security of the United States



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If you found this article useful, you might also find this useful: Adoption Tax Credit 2025, Adoption Tax Credit FAQs, What is open adoption?

 

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