On June 4, 2025, President Trump signed a new Executive Order (EO) called “Restricting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats.” The EO may limit your ability to enter the U.S. and will limit U.S. visa applications for certain citizens from 19 countries.
The effective date is Monday, June 9, 2025, at 12:01 a.m. EST.
Who Is Affected?
This EO does not impact all foreign nationals. Rather, the EO applies only to citizens of 19 specific countries who:
- Are outside the U.S. on or after June 9, and;
- Do not have a valid visa issued on or after June 9
Full U.S. Entry Ban
Citizens from these countries cannot apply for any type of new U.S. visa unless an exemption applies: Afghanistan, Burma (Myanmar), Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
Partial U.S. Entry Restrictions
Citizens cannot apply for B-1/B-2 (visitor), F (student), or J (exchange) visas from the following countries unless an exemption exists: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, Venezuela.
Exemptions
Please review Section 4 of the Presidential Proclamation. A summary is included in the “Who is Not Affected” Section below.
Who Is NOT Affected?
- Individuals who are not citizens of the 19 listed countries
- Citizens of affected countries who have a valid visa issued on or before June 9, even if they are outside the U.S. are likely not impacted
- U.S. lawful permanent residents (green card holders)
- Dual citizens who enter the U.S. with a passport from a non-impacted country
- People with refugee or asylum status
- Diplomats and international organization visa workers
- Athletes coming for events like the World Cup (2026) or the Olympics (in 2028)
Impact on International Students and Scholars
If you are a citizen of one of the 19 affected countries:
- If you already have a valid U.S. visa issued on or before June 9, 2025, please try to return to the U.S. before that date, if possible.
- You may not be able to get a new visa after June 9
- Talk to your ISSO adviser before making any international travel plans. Based on the current policy, you may not be able to return to the U.S. if you do not have a valid visa issued on or before June 9.
- You can travel within the United States if you travel with printed copies of your valid legal documents, and you are otherwise maintaining your legal status
- F and J visa holders can extend their programs to the maximum time allowed if they are otherwise maintaining their legal status and do not travel internationally with an invalid visa. In addition, J visa holders also must not have received a 212(e) waiver approval to be eligible for a J-extension.
If you are not a citizen of an affected country:
- You may still face extra security checks, longer wait times, or future visa policy changes
Impact on UCSF HR and Departments
- The U.S. government will review the policy periodically and potentially post updates. Be sure to review the ISSO’s News webpage for changes, as this is a developing topic.
- UCSF is unable to host affected citizens from the 12 countries who are subject to the Full U.S. Entry Ban, unless an exemption exists
- UCSF is unable to host affected citizens from the 7 countries who are subject to partial U.S. entry restrictions in B, F, J, or M visas, unless an exemption exists
- H-1B hosting is still allowed for citizens from the 7 countries subject to partial U.S. entry restrictions
Be sure to revisit the ISSO's News webpage for changes, as this is a developing topic.
Travel Tips
ISSO continues to advise caution with international travel. Updated travel and visa policies can be issued suddenly and may delay or block your return to the U.S. This could affect your ability to continue your studies or employment.
More Information
We understand that this is a stressful moment, and we are here to support you with your visa status.
Please don’t hesitate to contact your ISSO adviser with any questions.