Overview
- The bans took effect on December 31, 2025, and apply to all travel purposes with no stated exceptions.
- U.S. embassies warn consular assistance may be limited, particularly outside Bamako and Ouagadougou.
- Washington expanded total-entry prohibitions effective January 1, 2026, citing serious deficiencies in vetting and information-sharing.
- The U.S. list includes Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, South Sudan, Syria, Laos, and Sierra Leone, according to the cited White House communication.
- Niger’s government is evaluating similar reciprocal measures, but no implementation has been announced.