Dar es Salaam – The United States has significantly expanded its travel restrictions to include 39 countries, with Tanzania now among 15 nations facing new partial bans that will block pathways for students, prevent family reunification, and disrupt business travel.
The expanded measures, which took effect on December 16, 2025, represent a major escalation of US immigration policy. The White House proclamation added seven countries to the full travel ban list and subjected 15 new countries, including Tanzania, to partial restrictions. The full list of affected nations now stands at 39.
For Tanzania, the partial ban suspends the issuance of all immigrant visas for permanent settlement and several key non-immigrant visas for business (B-1), tourism (B-2), academic study (F), vocational training (M), and exchange programs (J).
The White House said in a statement that US President Donald Trump signed a proclamation “expanding and strengthening entry restrictions on nationals from countries with demonstrated, persistent, and severe deficiencies in screening, vetting, and information-sharing to protect the Nation from national security and public safety threats.”
The White House justified the inclusion of Tanzania by citing high visa overstay rates, specifically an 8.30 per cent rate for business and tourist visa holders and a 13.97 per cent rate for students and exchange visitors.
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Other African nations newly subjected to partial restrictions alongside Tanzania include Nigeria, Angola, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Senegal, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The proclamation also moved Laos and Sierra Leone from partial to full bans and added Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, and Syria to the full ban list.
Tanzanian authorities have not yet issued a formal statement on the December travel ban. The move, however, follows a separate US action in October 2025 that imposed a hefty visa bond of up to US$15,000 on some Tanzanian travellers.
In response to that earlier measure, the Tanzanian government confirmed it was engaged in diplomatic talks with Washington. Chief Government Spokesperson Gerson Msigwa stated at the time that the goal was to find a solution that “considers equality, respect, and the interests of both parties” within their long-standing relationship.
The most immediate victims of the new, broader ban are likely to be prospective students. During the 2022/23 academic year, 904 students from Tanzania were enrolled in US higher education institutions, a number that demonstrates a consistent flow of academic talent. The ban on new F, M, and J visas will effectively halt this educational exchange.
The suspension of all immigrant visas will also deliver a heavy blow to families, particularly the estimated 40,000-strong Tanzanian diaspora living in the US. The ban on family-sponsored immigration will prevent US citizens and lawful permanent residents of Tanzanian origin from bringing their parents, spouses, and children to live with them in the United States.
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According to the American Immigration Council, a non-profit immigration advocacy group, such policies disrupt family reunification and create profound emotional and social hardship for communities already established in the country.
Furthermore, the restrictions on business (B-1) and tourist (B-2) visas are expected to stifle commercial and professional travel. This could complicate the US$424 million trade relationship that exists between the two nations.
While the ban restricts Tanzanians from entering the US, the American economy may also feel the effects. An analysis of previous travel bans by the American Immigration Council found that immigrants from affected countries make significant contributions to the US economy, particularly in sectors facing labour shortages such as hospitality, construction, and retail.
The White House said the expanded ban goes into effect on January 1.According to Reuters, the expansion of the countries subject to entry restrictions marks a further escalation of immigration measures the administration has taken since the shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., last month.
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Investigators say the shooting was carried out by an Afghan national who entered the U.S. in 2021 through a resettlement program under which Trump administration officials have argued there was insufficient vetting.
Days after the shooting, Trump vowed to “permanently pause” migration from all “Third World Countries,” although he did not identify any by name or define the term.
