U.S. tightens entry rules, rippling across global travel

The United States tightened entry rules in 2025, 2026 through a suite of executive actions, proclamations and regulatory changes that have rippled across global travel, tourism and diplomatic relations. Policy makers have pointed to DHS overstay data, expanded vetting and new financial guarantees as tools to curb unauthorized stays and improve information sharing.

These changes , from nationality‑based entry restrictions to a visa‑bond pilot, tightened consular practice and wider digital vetting , have created fresh friction for travelers, operational aches for airlines and airports, and alarm among tourism and business groups forecasting weaker inbound demand.

How the new nationality‑based restrictions work

Two presidential proclamations (June 4, 2025 and December 16, 2025) formally expanded nationality‑based entry restrictions, imposing full suspensions for dozens of nationals and partial limits for others. The proclamations cite the DHS Entry/Exit Overstay Report (FY‑2024) and list affected countries along with specified carve‑outs for certain visa categories and case‑by‑case waivers.

The administration based its designations on country‑by‑country overstay data published by DHS (the FY‑2024 report posted July 16, 2025). The Federal Register discussion and proclamations called out very high B‑1/B‑2 overstay rates for some countries (for example, Burma/Myanmar showed a B‑1/B‑2 overstay rate of 38.15% in FY‑2024).

The proclamations and accompanying guidance include exemptions for particular visa classes (diplomatic, some immigrant and other narrow categories) while enabling consular officers to grant waivers in individual cases. Still, the nationality‑based measures mean that applicants from affected countries now face additional screening, denial risk or outright suspension of routine nonimmigrant travel.

The visa‑bond pilot: financial guarantees and conditions

The State Department published a Temporary Final Rule on August 5, 2025 establishing a visa‑bond pilot that may require certain B‑1/B‑2 applicants to post refundable bonds of $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000 as a condition of visa issuance. The pilot runs from August 20, 2025 through August 5, 2026; bonds are refunded if travelers comply with visa terms.

News coverage through late‑2025 and January 2026 described successive expansions to the list of countries subject to bond requirements, with reporting citing totals growing from 13 to as many as 38 countries after successive designations. AP, the Washington Post and Axios summarized the changes and emphasized that bond amounts are set by consular officers and that payment does not guarantee issuance.

Operationally, visa‑bond entrants often receive single‑entry, short‑duration visas (commonly capped at 30 days admission and visas valid for three months or less) and may be restricted to entering and exiting through designated U.S. airports such as Boston Logan (BOS), New York JFK and Washington Dulles (IAD).

Consular practice and digital vetting tightened

Beginning September 2, 2025 most nonimmigrant applicants , with limited exceptions , were required to attend in‑person visa interviews, narrowing interview‑waiver programs and increasing consular workload and processing time. Consulates have reported longer queues and backlogs as a result.

At the same time, since mid‑2025 the State Department has required F, M and J visa applicants to disclose social‑media identifiers covering the prior five years on the DS‑160/DS‑260 forms. Guidance in many posts has urged applicants to set profiles to “public” to facilitate vetting. CBP has also proposed adding social‑media fields to ESTA, widening the digital footprint considered in entry decisions.

Privacy and free‑speech advocates have raised constitutional and legal concerns about expanded social‑media collection and public‑profile urging. These vetting changes, combined with limits on interview waivers, have lengthened processing and increased uncertainty for student, exchange and tourist applicants alike.

ESTA and Visa Waiver Program screening changes

Agency notices and DHS/CBP rulemaking tied to Executive Order 14161 (January 20, 2025) have led to a redesign of ESTA and enhanced screening under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Travelers under VWP now face additional pre‑boarding questions, expanded vetting and a higher chance of referral for full adjudication.

For many would‑be visitors, the result is greater pre‑travel uncertainty: ESTA approvals that were once routine can now result in enhanced scrutiny or denial, prompting some travelers to delay or cancel plans rather than risk being unable to board outbound flights.

CBP’s approach aims to detect higher‑risk travelers earlier in the process, but it also creates friction for low‑risk, short‑stay visitors and complicates trip planning during peak seasons and a of major events such as FIFA‑2026 and the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

Economic, travel‑market and operational impacts

Independent economic analyses and industry groups warned of weaker inbound demand in 2025 and 2026. Oxford Economics/Tourism Economics and other forecasters projected declines in overseas arrivals and spending; the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) warned the U.S. could lose roughly $8 to $12.5 billion in international visitor spending in 2025. National travel and trade offices revised arrival forecasts downward and highlighted volatility.

OTA platforms and industry leaders reported cancellations and softer bookings from key markets such as Canada, Western Europe and parts of Asia. Booking Holdings’ CEO Glenn Fogel urged policymakers to “make it easier for international tourists to visit,” warning that border frictions and fees dent bookings. WTTC CEO Julia Simpson called falling inbound spending “a wake‑up call” for U.S. policy.

Airlines and airports described operational knock‑on effects: route adjustments, reduced frequencies and reallocated capacity as demand from affected source markets softened. Sudden rule changes complicated air‑service planning, crew and aircraft positioning, and the hotel pipeline and event planners flagged risks for major upcoming international events.

Diplomatic fallout, reciprocity and legal underpinnings

Several affected governments protested or implemented reciprocal measures. In late December 2025 countries including Mali and Burkina Faso announced reciprocal travel restrictions in response to U.S. proclamations. International reporting documented diplomatic complaints and warned that tit‑for‑tat visa policies can escalate travel barriers for citizens on both sides.

The legal framework for these actions rests on Executive Order 14161 and the presidential proclamations of June 4 and December 16, 2025, the State Department’s Temporary Final Rule (Federal Register, Aug 5, 2025) for the visa‑bond pilot, and DHS/CBP’s FY‑2024 Entry/Exit Overstay Report (posted July 16, 2025). Those primary documents enumerate country lists, legal rationales and the timeframes that guided executive branch decisions.

Legal challenges and commentary from civil society and privacy groups have already begun to surface, contesting both the scope of nationality‑based suspensions and expanded social‑media demands. Observers note that courts, Congress and diplomatic channels may shape the long‑term contours of these policies.

Practical guidance for travelers and industry

Travelers from designated countries should plan for longer processing times and the possibility of mandatory in‑person interviews. Affected B‑1/B‑2 applicants may be asked to post a refundable bond via pay.gov using DHS Form I‑352 if directed by a consular officer; payment alone does not guarantee a visa.

Those subject to bonds or nationality‑based limits should expect single‑entry, short‑duration visas (commonly up to 30 days admitted and visas valid for three months or less) and designated ports of entry (notably BOS, JFK and IAD for many cases). VWP travelers should check ESTA status and be prepared for additional pre‑boarding questions and vetting.

For authoritative instructions consult State Department, CBP and consulate postings. Lawyers and industry advisors recommend allowing extra lead time for visa appointments, reading consulate notices carefully, and monitoring travel‑industry reports and government publications for updates during the pilot and designation periods.

Looking a, governments, airlines and travel businesses will watch whether the bond pilot, nationality restrictions and enhanced vetting achieve their security aims without unduly harming commerce and people‑to‑people ties. Policymakers face pressure to balance security objectives with the economic benefits of open, predictable travel.

Whether these measures will be temporary responses calibrated by the August 2026 bond‑pilot deadline or the start of a longer‑term shift toward more restrictive entry rules remains an open question. For now, travelers and the travel industry are adapting to a more complex U.S. entry environment.