The United States government has issued a full suspension on the entry of Sierra Leonean nationals, both immigrants and nonimmigrants, effective 1 January 2026.

The ban was announced in a presidential proclamation signed by President Donald J. Trump on 16 December 2025, which expanded existing travel restrictions to include several new countries.

The proclamation cites “woeful inadequacies” in Sierra Leone’s screening, vetting, and information-sharing capabilities as the primary reason. It specifically notes the country’s high visa overstay rates and a historical failure to accept back its nationals ordered removed from the United States.

According to data from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s 2024 Entry/Exit Overstay Report, Sierra Leone had a student and exchange visitor (F, M, and J) visa overstay rate of 35.83 percent, and a business and tourist (B-1/B-2) visa overstay rate of 16.48 percent.

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The proclamation states that such deficiencies make it “extremely difficult for United States screening and vetting authorities to assess prior criminal activity and other grounds of inadmissibility,” posing a risk to national security and public safety.

Sierra Leone is one of seven countries newly subjected to a full entry suspension. The others are Burkina Faso, Laos, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, and Syria. The restrictions apply to individuals outside the U.S. on the effective date who do not already possess a valid visa.

The proclamation maintains a series of exceptions, including for lawful permanent residents of the U.S., certain diplomats, and individuals granted asylum or refugee status. Case-by-case waivers may also be issued by the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, or the Secretary of Homeland Security if travel is deemed to serve a critical U.S. national interest.

This move signifies a significant escalation of U.S. immigration restrictions and will directly impact Sierra Leoneans seeking to travel, study, work, or immigrate to the United States starting in the new year.

The proclamation directs U.S. officials to engage with the Sierra Leonean government on measures needed to lift the restrictions, with a review scheduled within 180 days.