The United States has imposed full visa restrictions on nationals of 12 African countries under Presidential Proclamation 10998, a policy that took effect on January 1, 2026, according to the US Department of State.

The affected countries are Burkina Faso, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan.

Under the proclamation, nationals of the listed countries face suspension of visa issuance across most immigrant and nonimmigrant visa categories, subject to specified exceptions. The restrictions form part of a wider US policy covering nationals of 39 countries, alongside certain individuals travelling on documents issued or endorsed by the Palestinian Authority.

The US government said the measures were introduced over concerns relating to identity verification, information sharing and security screening. The proclamation outlines country-specific restrictions and exceptions under the policy.

The restrictions followed an earlier presidential proclamation issued in June 2025. The subsequent proclamation, signed in December 2025, modified and expanded the earlier measures, with the revised restrictions taking effect at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on January 1, 2026.

However, the policy does not apply without exception to every person from the affected countries. Certain categories of travellers, including lawful permanent residents and eligible dual nationals travelling on passports issued by countries not covered by the restrictions, may qualify for exemptions. Other limited exceptions and case-by-case waivers may also apply.

The US Department of State says affected individuals may still submit visa applications and attend scheduled interviews, although they may be ineligible for visa issuance or admission to the United States. Travellers from the affected countries are advised to consult official US government guidance to understand how the restrictions apply to their circumstances.