Community Update – “Travel Ban” Announcement
Monday, June, 9th, 2025 Immigration News and Updates
Dear International Students and Scholars,
We hope this message finds you safe and well. We are writing to provide you with an update regarding the Presidential Proclamation announced on June 4, 2025: Restricting The Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats. Please note that the below information is preliminary and accurate as of the date and time of this message. While it is intended to provide general information, it is not a substitute for legal advice by a qualified immigration attorney.
Impacted Countries: According to the Proclamation, twelve countries will be subject to a full ban that suspends “entry into the United States” of nationals of those countries as “immigrants and nonimmigrants” beginning June 9, 2025. The 12 full ban countries are: Afghanistan, Burma/Myanmar, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. According to the Proclamation, seven additional countries will also be subject to a partial ban that suspends “entry into the United States” as immigrants and nonimmigrants “B-1, B‑2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas” beginning June 9, 2025. The seven partial ban countries are: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
Impact on Active/Enrolled Student and Scholar (F, J) Visa Holders: While F and J visa holders are mentioned by both bans, the current language of the Proclamation states that those who are already in the United States in valid visa status will not be impacted by this ban. The language also suggests that who are outside of the U.S. but in possession of an unexpired entry visa may not be impacted. However, due to uncertainty surrounding the language of the Proclamation and the potential for port of entry issues, the International Center strongly recommends that those traveling with any of these passports plan to return to the U.S. prior to the stated effective date of June 9, 2025.
Impact on New (Pre-Arrival) International Students & Scholars: According to the current language of the Proclamation, those who already have received visas as of June 9, 2025 will not have their visas revoked. We anticipate that there will be a restriction on new F-1/J-1 visa issuance for these countries after this date, but we do not have any details on this beyond the wording in the Proclamation. We will continue to work with all admitted international students and scholars to issue I-20s and DS-2019s as necessary. We encourage admitted students to be in contact with their respective Admissions officer and scholars to be in contact with their Departments regarding any changes in plans. As a reminder, students and scholars with an initial I-20 or DS-2019 are only able to enter the country 30 days prior to the start date listed on the document.
Duration and Exceptions: While the bans are indefinite, the Proclamation states that review of impacted countries will occur within 90 days of its issuance, and every 180 days thereafter. We will keep our community informed if there are any changes, clarification regarding the terms of the bans, or judicial actions that result in pauses or modifications. We also encourage our international population to review the full list of exceptions to the ban, which includes current Legal Permanent Residents of the United States, dual nationals traveling on passports from non-impacted countries, and certain categorical exemptions.
Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions and remember that we are here for you as we navigate these changes together.
Sincerely,
Anna Garson – She/Her
Director – PDSO/RO | Tufts International Center | Office of the Provost
Tufts University International Center
20 Sawyer Avenue, Medford MA 02155
617.627.3458 | internationalcenter@tufts.edu
https://icenter.tufts.edu/
The International Center works diligently to provide general guidance and support to international students, faculty, and staff at Tufts University. The information provided herein is neither a substitute for legal advice nor serves as a guarantee of eligibility for government-issued visas or benefits. Due to the fluid nature of government policies, the International Center recommends consulting with a qualified immigration attorney for complex cases or specific advice.