U.S. Travel Ban 2026: Country List, Immigrant Visa Pause, and Visa Bonds

Of the 12 former Soviet countries (excluding the Baltic states), only Turkmenistan falls under the U.S. travel ban (Presidential Proclamation 10998) in 2026, and only for immigrant visas. Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, and Moldova are not on the ban list. But the travel ban is not the only measure: nine countries from this group were subject to the 75-country immigrant visa pause (lifted by a court on August 21, 2026), and nationals of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Georgia may be required to post a visa bond of up to $20,000 when applying for a B-1/B-2 visa.

In short:

• The travel ban (PP 10998) has been in effect since January 1, 2026, and covers 39 countries. Among CIS and neighboring countries, only Turkmenistan is covered, and only for immigrant visas.
• The 75-country immigrant visa pause (from January 21, 2026) was vacated by a federal court on August 21, 2026. The State Department says the pause is "no longer in effect," but the government is appealing.
• The B-1/B-2 visa bond ($10,000, $15,000, or $20,000) became permanent on August 3, 2026. The list includes Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Georgia. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are not on it.
• The USCIS hold on cases of travel ban nationals was vacated by a court in June 2026 (re-review of approved cases has been back in effect since August 14); of the 12 countries, it affected only Turkmenistan.
• The $250 visa integrity fee is written into law, but actual collection had not been officially confirmed as of October 15, 2026.

Which countries face U.S. restrictions: a table for 12 countries

Below is a summary of the four measures that are most often confused with one another. The data has been checked against U.S. Department of State pages (travel.state.gov) as of October 15, 2026.

How to read the table. The "75-country pause" applied only to immigrant visas issued by consulates abroad and is officially not in effect as of October 15, 2026. The "visa bond" applies only to B-1/B-2 tourist and business visas. The "USCIS hold" applied to cases adjudicated inside the United States.

Important: each measure is tied to nationality, not country of residence. A national of Turkmenistan who lives in Kazakhstan or Turkey is still subject to PP 10998 when applying for an immigrant visa.

What the PP 10998 travel ban is and who it affects

Presidential Proclamation 10998 was signed on December 16, 2025, and took effect on January 1, 2026, at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time. Its legal basis is section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), which allows the president to restrict the entry of certain classes of foreign nationals.

The proclamation covers 39 countries and divides them into three groups:

• Full suspension (19 countries and holders of Palestinian Authority travel documents) — all immigrant and nonimmigrant visas. These include Afghanistan, Iran, Myanmar, Haiti, Syria, Yemen, and others.
• Partial suspension (19 countries) — B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas and all immigrant visas. For example, Cuba, Venezuela, and Nigeria.
• Partial suspension of immigrant visas only — Turkmenistan.

Turkmenistan and the U.S. visa ban: what exactly is suspended

Since January 1, 2026, nationals of Turkmenistan have not been issued immigrant visas — family-based, employment-based, or DV lottery. Nonimmigrant visas (tourist, student, work) are not suspended by the proclamation. However, nationals of Turkmenistan may be required to post a visa bond for a B-1/B-2 visa — more on that below.

Exceptions to PP 10998

According to the State Department, the proclamation does not apply to, among others:

• people who already held a valid visa on January 1, 2026 (such visas are not revoked);
• U.S. lawful permanent residents (green card holders, LPRs);
• dual nationals applying on the passport of a country not on the list;
• recipients of Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) for U.S. government employees;
• participants in certain major sporting events.

The categorical exceptions for immediate relatives of U.S. citizens (IR-1/CR-1, IR-2/CR-2, IR-5 visas), for adoptions (IR-3, IR-4, IH-3, IH-4), and for Afghan SIVs have been removed from the proclamation. For children being adopted by U.S. citizens, a case-by-case National Interest Exception remains available.

The 75-country immigrant visa pause: where it stands now

This is a separate State Department measure, and it is often mistakenly called an "entry ban." The pause was announced on January 14, 2026, and applied from January 21, 2026. The rationale was screening for public charge risk (the risk that an immigrant will rely on government benefits).

Unlike the travel ban, the pause:

• was not a presidential proclamation under 212(f);
• applied only to immigrant visas processed abroad (family-based, employment-based, DV);
• did not affect nonimmigrant visas (B, F, and others) or I-485 applications inside the United States.

Of our 12 countries, the 75-country list included Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, and Moldova. Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Ukraine were not on it.

The court decision and current status

On August 21, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York in Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC) v. Rubio (Judge Jeannette A. Vargas) held the policy unlawful and vacated it for all applicants. 221(g) refusals issued solely because of the pause have been sent for re-review. The State Department updated its page on August 28: the pause is "no longer in effect."

According to the government as of September 8, there are more than 43,000 such refusals. The government has appealed to the Second Circuit and is asking for a stay of the decision. The district court denied a stay on September 25. As of October 19, 2026, the court's decision remains in effect; the appeals court's ruling on a stay and a district court ruling on a re-review deadline after the October 14 hearing are not confirmed.

For a detailed breakdown, see our article 75-country immigrant visa pause lifted: what applicants should do.

Important: lifting the pause does not mean approval. Every case goes through a new public charge review, and a new DHS rule has been in effect since September 18, 2026. For more, see our article on the new 2026 public charge rule.

U.S. visa bond: Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Georgia

A visa bond is a financial guarantee that a consular officer may require from a B-1/B-2 visa applicant. The program began as a pilot in 2025, and the final rule (91 FR 48757, FR document 2026-15726) took effect on August 3, 2026, making it permanent.

Key parameters according to the State Department (page updated October 2, 2026):

• Amount: $10,000, $15,000, or $20,000. The specific amount is set by the consular officer at the interview.
• Visa: B-1/B-2 only. The applicant must meet all other visa requirements.
• Place of application: the requirement applies regardless of which country you apply in.
• Entry and exit: only through commercial airports, including CBP preclearance locations. Charter flights, private aviation, and land and sea ports of entry are not permitted.
• Exceptions: none listed on the State Department page.

The list contains 50 countries. From our region:

Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Ukraine, and Moldova are not on the list. If you have seen reports that Kazakhstan is on this list — it does not appear on the official page (updated October 2, 2026).

Example (hypothetical): a Kyrgyz national receives an invitation to a conference in the United States. At the interview, the consular officer finds her eligible for a B-1/B-2 visa but sets a $15,000 bond. The visa is issued after the bond is posted, and she must enter and exit through a commercial airport.

The bond does not apply to F-1 student visas. But it does affect the common scenario of "entering on a B-2, then changing status to F-1." If you are planning to study, read about the new F-1 rules in 2026.

The USCIS hold on cases of travel ban nationals

USCIS (the agency that adjudicates applications inside the United States) had been holding cases of nationals of travel ban countries since December 2025:

• PM-602-0192 (December 2, 2025) — a hold on benefits for nationals of 19 countries, a global hold on asylum, and re-review of previously approved cases of people who entered on or after January 20, 2021.
• PM-602-0194 (January 1, 2026) — expansion to 39 countries, including Turkmenistan. Russia, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Belarus are not on this list.

What the courts decided

• June 5, 2026 — the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island in Dorcas Int'l v. USCIS vacated these policies (partial final judgment — June 11).
• August 14, 2026 — the First Circuit stayed that decision only as to the re-review of previously approved cases. This means re-review is back in effect, while the benefits hold and the asylum hold remain vacated.
• August 24, 2026 — a preliminary injunction was issued in Red Eagle Law v. Edlow; USCIS stated that it will comply.

For nationals of these countries, under the December 2, 2025 memo, USCIS interviews are not waived (the interview waiver does not apply). For what else has changed at interviews, see our article on USCIS interviews in 2026.

The country-of-residence rule for immigrant visa interviews

Since November 1, 2025, the National Visa Center (NVC) schedules immigrant visa interviews in the applicant's country of residence or, at the applicant's request, in the country of nationality. You can change the consulate through the NVC Public Inquiry Form.

This matters for people who do not live in their country of nationality. For example, an Uzbek national who permanently resides in Kazakhstan will be interviewed in the country of residence unless they request otherwise. All restrictions in the table above are still determined by nationality.

The $250 visa integrity fee: is it being collected?

The $250 visa integrity fee is provided for by a law signed on July 4, 2025, for visas issued starting in fiscal year 2026. Sources describe its rollout as phased: some consulates are reportedly already collecting the fee at visa issuance, while the refund procedure has not yet been defined.

Important: at the time of publication (October 15, 2026), actual collection of the $250 fee at visa issuance has not been officially confirmed by the State Department. Follow the instructions of your specific consulate and do not pay through links from third-party messages.

Myths about U.S. restrictions: what is not true

• "Uzbekistan is under a U.S. entry ban." No. Uzbekistan is not in PP 10998 and not on the visa bond list. It was in the 75-country pause, but that pause has been lifted by a court.
• "Kazakhstan is on the visa bond list." No. Kazakhstan does not appear on the official State Department page.
• "Russia is under the travel ban." No. Russia was only included in the 75-country immigrant visa pause.
• "All visas are closed to Turkmenistan." No. Only immigrant visas are suspended. A tourist visa can be obtained, but a bond may be required.
• "The 75-country pause applied to tourist and student visas." No. It applied only to immigrant visas processed abroad.
• "Now that the pause is lifted, the visa will definitely be issued." No. The case is reconsidered, but it goes through a new public charge review.
• "Ukraine is under U.S. restrictions." Under the four measures in the table — no. Questions from Ukrainians in the U.S. more often relate to TPS — see our article on the TPS extension for Ukraine.

What to do now

1. Find your country in the table and determine which measures apply to your specific visa type — immigrant or nonimmigrant.
2. If you are a national of Turkmenistan waiting for an immigrant visa, discuss with an immigration attorney whether one of the exceptions applies to you (for example, a second nationality) and what alternatives exist.
3. If you received a 221(g) refusal because of the 75-country pause, do not file a new DS-260 or pay new fees. Keep the refusal letter, your CEAC status history, and correspondence with the consulate. Prepare updated documents: medical exam, police certificates, I-864 documents.
4. If you are from Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, or Georgia and are applying for a B-1/B-2, plan ahead for a possible bond and for entry only through a commercial airport.
5. If you live outside your country of nationality, check which consulate the NVC will assign for your interview and, if needed, submit a request through the Public Inquiry Form.
6. If you are entering the lottery, keep track of registration deadlines — see DV-2027 green card lottery. Note that for nationals of Turkmenistan, PP 10998 also applies to DV visas.
7. Watch for updates on travel.state.gov: the appeals in the pause cases are not over, and the status may change.

How M&M can help

• We will check which restrictions apply to your nationality and visa type and prepare a document package for your case.
• When needed, we bring in licensed partner immigration attorneys — to assess exceptions, responses to 221(g), and other legal questions.
• Start with a free assessment or contact us — the M&M office is located at 1944 Coney Island Ave, Brooklyn, NY.

Sources

• U.S. Department of State: suspension of visa issuance under PP 10998
• U.S. Department of State: Countries Subject to Visa Bonds
• Federal Register: visa bond final rule, FR 2026-15726
• U.S. Department of State: immigrant visa processing for 75 countries
• U.S. Department of State: interviews in the country of residence
• NILC: CLINIC v. Rubio case materials
• AILA: USCIS complies with injunction lifting the hold for travel ban countries
• Congressional Research Service: IN12631
• Columbia ISSO: USCIS hold for travel ban countries
• Ilabaca Law: the $250 visa integrity fee

This article is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. M&M Document Preparation is not a law firm. Information is current as of October 15, 2026.