US Travel Ban 2026: Arab Countries Covered, Exceptions, Court Status
Where Proclamation 10998 stands on October 14, 2026, which Arab countries it covers, the real exceptions, and what courts decided on the USCIS hold and the 75-country pause.
Update log
- : Status re-checked: Proclamation 10998 still in effect with no published amendment; country list unchanged.
- : Added the Dorcas ruling (June 5, 2026) vacating the USCIS benefits hold and the First Circuit's Aug 14 partial stay (re-review policy only), alongside Red Eagle Law v. Edlow (Aug 24).
- : Updated the 75-country immigrant visa pause: vacated Aug 21, 2026 in CLINIC v. Rubio; government appealed Sept 10; stay request pending at the Second Circuit.
- : Added a status table, an Arab-country table, the removal of adoption and Afghan SIV exceptions, the separate DV adjustment hold (PM-602-0193, vacated Aug 28), a family action plan and a scam warning.
In short (status as of October 14, 2026): Proclamation 10998 has been in force since January 1, 2026 and has not been amended. It fully suspends entry for nationals of 19 countries plus anyone traveling on Palestinian Authority documents, and partially suspends 20 more. Among Arab countries, Yemen, Sudan, Syria, Libya and Somalia (plus PA documents) are fully covered and Mauritania partially. There is no general exception for spouses, children or parents of US citizens. Separately, courts have lifted the USCIS hold on green card, citizenship and asylum decisions for people from these countries, and a different 75-country immigrant visa pause was struck down on August 21, 2026.
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Where things stand on October 14, 2026
Three different measures are often mixed up in community groups. Only the first one is the travel ban itself. The table shows the latest official or court status we could confirm for each.
| Measure | What it does | Status as of Oct 14, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Proclamation 10998 (travel ban) | Suspends visas and entry from abroad for nationals of 39 countries and PA document holders | In effect since Jan 1, 2026. No amendment published in the Federal Register through Oct 14, 2026. |
| USCIS hold memos PM-602-0192 (Dec 2, 2025) and PM-602-0194 (Jan 1, 2026) | Paused decisions inside the US (green cards, citizenship, work permits, asylum) for nationals of the same countries | Vacated in Dorcas (June 5, 2026); appeals court refused to pause that ruling except for the "re-review" policy (Aug 14, 2026); also enjoined in Red Eagle Law v. Edlow (Aug 24, 2026). USCIS says it will comply. |
| State Department pause on immigrant visas for 75 countries (from Jan 21, 2026) | Stopped immigrant visa issuance on public-benefit grounds, including for some Arab countries not on the travel ban | Vacated Aug 21, 2026 in CLINIC v. Rubio. Government appealed Sept 10; its stay request is pending at the Second Circuit. |
The practical message: a court win against the USCIS hold or the 75-country pause does not lift the travel ban. If your relative is a national of a travel-ban country and is outside the US, the proclamation still controls their visa.
Which Arab countries are covered?
The proclamation lists 39 countries in total: 19 under full restrictions and 20 under partial ones, plus a separate full suspension for anyone traveling on documents issued or endorsed by the Palestinian Authority. This is how it applies to the Arab world.
| Country | Level | What it blocks | Main exceptions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yemen | Full | Immigrant and nonimmigrant visas (visitor, student, work, family) | Green card holders; dual nationals on a non-covered passport; case-by-case national-interest waivers |
| Sudan | Full | Same as Yemen | Same |
| Syria | Full (new on Jan 1, 2026) | Same as Yemen | Same |
| Libya | Full | Same as Yemen | Same |
| Somalia | Full | Same as Yemen | Same |
| Palestinian Authority documents | Full (new on Jan 1, 2026) | Travel on any PA-issued or PA-endorsed document | A Palestinian traveling on a passport from a non-covered country (Jordan, for example) is not blocked by this rule |
| Mauritania | Partial (new on Jan 1, 2026) | All immigrant visas, plus B-1/B-2 visitor and F, M, J student/exchange visas; other visas may get shorter validity | Same categorical exceptions |
| Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, the six Gulf states, Djibouti, Comoros | Not covered | Nothing under this proclamation | Check the separate 75-country pause, which was vacated in August |
The full non-Arab list is in the Federal Register text. Turkmenistan is a special case: only its immigrant visas remain suspended.
Who exactly does it apply to?
The restrictions apply only to nationals of covered countries who were outside the United States on January 1, 2026 and did not hold a valid visa on that date. The proclamation also says no visa issued before that date is revoked under it.
That does not guarantee entry. A CBP officer still decides admission at the airport, and a visa can expire or be revoked for other reasons. Anyone from a covered country who is in the US on a visa should think hard before traveling, because getting a new visa abroad is generally not possible while the ban lasts.
What are the exceptions, and is there one for immediate relatives?
The proclamation lists these categorical exceptions:
- Lawful permanent residents (green card holders).
- Dual nationals traveling on a passport from a country that is not designated.
- Certain diplomatic and international-organization visas (A-1, A-2, C-2, C-3, G-1 to G-4, NATO-1 to NATO-6).
- Athletes, coaches, necessary support staff and their immediate relatives traveling for the World Cup, the Olympics or another major sporting event designated by the State Department.
- Special Immigrant Visas for US government employees.
- Immigrant visas for ethnic and religious minorities facing persecution in Iran.
It does not apply to people already granted asylum or refugees already admitted, and it does not stop anyone from seeking asylum. Beyond that, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Homeland Security or the Attorney General may grant individual national-interest exceptions.
I am inside the US. Does the ban stop my green card or citizenship case?
The proclamation governs visas and entry from abroad. It says nothing about adjustment of status inside the US. The problem for people already here was a set of USCIS memos that paused decisions for nationals of the listed countries.
- June 5, 2026: In Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island v. USCIS, a federal court in Rhode Island vacated the benefits hold, the global asylum hold, a "re-review" of past approvals, and a country-specific factors policy. Final judgment followed on June 11, and the government appealed.
- August 14, 2026: The First Circuit paused only the part of that ruling dealing with the re-review of approved benefits. It refused to pause the rest, so the benefits hold stays vacated during the appeal.
- August 24, 2026: In Red Eagle Law v. Edlow, a federal court in Northern California enjoined PM-602-0192 and PM-602-0194, ordered normal adjudication, and certified a class of pending applicants from the 39 countries and the Palestinian Authority. USCIS says it disagrees but will comply.
Approved cases from these countries may still be re-reviewed while the appeal continues. Diversity Visa winners in the US were under a separate hold (PM-602-0193), which a court temporarily vacated on August 28, 2026; see our DV lottery status guide.
How is this different from the 75-country immigrant visa pause?
From January 21, 2026 the State Department paused immigrant visas for nationals of 75 countries, citing public-benefit concerns. That list reached Arab countries the travel ban never covered. On August 21, 2026 a federal court in New York vacated the pause and the refusals based only on it. The district judge denied a stay on September 25, and the government's emergency stay motion at the Second Circuit was still undecided on October 14.
For a Yemeni, Syrian or Sudanese applicant, that win changes little: the travel ban still applies. For an Egyptian or Iraqi applicant, it matters a lot. Details are in our 75-country pause guide.
What should families do now?
- Keep the petition alive. Do not withdraw an approved I-130. The priority date is kept and you will need it if the ban changes. Track it in our October 2026 Visa Bulletin guide.
- Check every nationality. If your relative holds a second passport from a non-covered country, ask a lawyer whether the case can proceed on that nationality.
- Green card holders: travel carefully. You are exempt, but long absences and an expired card cause trouble at re-entry.
- Visa holders inside the US: avoid unnecessary travel. A new visa abroad is generally unavailable for covered nationals.
- Pending USCIS case stalled? Keep receipts and notices. A lawyer can check whether you fall within the Red Eagle class or can rely on Dorcas.
- Ask about a national-interest exception only through a lawyer or the consulate. These are rare and discretionary.
For low-cost help, see our guide to finding an immigration lawyer or legal aid.
Scam warning
Common mistakes
- Assuming a citizen can bring a spouse from a banned country as before. The immediate-relative exception is gone.
- Thinking the CLINIC v. Rubio ruling ended the travel ban. It did not touch Proclamation 10998.
- Withdrawing an I-130 out of frustration. A priority date cannot be recovered.
- Leaving the US on a temporary visa without a plan to return.
- Paying a "consultant" for a guaranteed waiver.
What next?
The proclamation requires the Secretary of State to report every 180 days on whether each restriction should continue, change or end, so the list can change by a new proclamation at any time. We found no published amendment as of October 14, 2026. Follow the USCIS alerts page and the State Department visa news page, and talk to a licensed immigration attorney or a DOJ-accredited organization before any travel or filing decision.
Frequently asked questions
Which Arab countries are covered by the 2026 travel ban?
Yemen, Sudan, Syria, Libya, Somalia and Palestinian Authority documents are under full restrictions, and Mauritania under partial ones. This was unchanged as of October 14, 2026.
Can a US citizen bring a spouse from Yemen or Syria?
Generally not right now. Proclamation 10998 removed the immediate-relative exception, so a visa issues only with a discretionary national-interest exception or if the spouse travels on a non-covered passport.
Does the travel ban affect green card holders?
No. Lawful permanent residents are expressly exempt, though normal re-entry rules on long absences and card validity still apply.
Is USCIS still holding applications from these countries?
A Rhode Island court vacated the hold on June 5, 2026, a California court enjoined it on August 24, 2026, and USCIS says it will comply. Both cases can still change on appeal.
Did the court ruling on the 75-country pause end the travel ban?
No. The August 21, 2026 CLINIC v. Rubio ruling covers only the separate State Department pause. Proclamation 10998 remains in effect.
Is Egypt on the travel ban list?
No. Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and the Gulf states are not listed in Proclamation 10998.
Official sources we reviewed
- Federal Register — Proclamation 10998, Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals (Dec 19, 2025) ↗
- USCIS — Recent Court Order on Hold Policies (Red Eagle Law v. Edlow, Aug 28, 2026) ↗
- USCIS — Court Order on Diversity Immigrant Visa Program Hold Policy (Medani v. Trump, Sept 4, 2026) ↗
- US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit — Order in Dorcas International Institute v. USCIS, No. 26-1703 (Aug 14, 2026) ↗
- Federal Register (govinfo) — State Department delegation of authority under Proclamation 10998 (Mar 16, 2026) ↗
- NAFSA — Proclamation of December 16, 2025: Travel Ban Effective January 1, 2026 (secondary) ↗
- Duane Morris — After Dorcas: USCIS Says the Hold Policies Are Gone (secondary) ↗
- Maki Law Firm — 75-Country Visa Ban: CLINIC v. Rubio status (secondary, current to Oct 13, 2026) ↗