On June 5, 2025, President Trump signed two major presidential proclamations restricting access to the United States for certain foreign nationals and international students.
Travel bans for 19 nationalities
From June 9, 2025, a ban on visas and entry into the United States applies to nationals of 19 countries.
For 12 of them (Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen), the suspension applies to all immigrant and non-immigrant visas.
For the 7 other countries (Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, Venezuela), the suspension applies to immigrant visas and certain non-immigrant visas (B-1, B-2, F, M, J).
There are exceptions, in particular for :
- U.S. permanent residents (green card holders)
- Holders of dual nationality travelling on a passport from an unaffected country
- Immediate family members of U.S. citizens, under certain conditions
- Athletes and companions for major sporting events
- Certain holders of diplomatic or special visas
- Persons whose entry is deemed to be in the national interest by U.S. authorities
Visas issued before June 9, 2025 will not be revoked. Refugees already admitted and persons granted asylum or protection against deportation are not affected by this measure.
The list of countries affected by the travel ban will be regularly reviewed by the US authorities, with the possibility of modification or extension. The State Department is due to publish further details on the implementation of these measures and the procedures for applying for an exemption.
Six-month suspension of F/M/J student visas for Harvard
The second proclamation prohibited, for at least six months from June 5, 2025, the issuance of F, M and J visas to foreigners wishing to begin a course of study at Harvard University. This measure applies immediately. The text also asks the authorities to consider revoking the F/M/J visas already in force for Harvard students, and to examine the university's participation in the SEVP system, which is essential for welcoming international students.
Exceptions have been made for students whose arrival is deemed to be in the national interest, but the terms of application have yet to be specified. A legal appeal against this proclamation is expected.
Request ESTA
For visa-exempt travellers who need to obtain electronic travel authorization ESTAA new document must now be added to the online form. A passport photo or selfie is now required, according to the following requirements: in color, on a neutral background and different from the passport photo. A copy of your valid passport is still a compulsory document when you apply. This new feature is currently being rolled out.
The current application fee is 21 USD. Following a recent announcementfees could rise to USD 40.
Here are the nationalities eligible for ESTA:
Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Chile, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom.
Fill in a file from ESTA USA
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