Sierra Leone on TIER 2 Orange — Travel Visa Sharply Restricted Visa — Draft List

“UPDATE: December 16, 2025: Complete travel shutdown for immigrants and non-immigrants extended for Sierra Leone starting 1 January 2026.”

— Source: — Source: The WHITE HOUSE — Washington

Immigrant and non-immigrant travel restrictions for Sierra Leone will be completely shut down starting January 1, 2026. This is part of a new presidential proclamation signed by President Donald J. Trump on December 16, 2025, which expands earlier travel restrictions implemented in June 2025.

""It imposes full restrictions and entry limitations on 2 countries that were previously subject to partial restrictions: Laos and Sierra Leone.""

Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Further Restricts and Limits the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States

– The White House

READ

Sierra Leone is now under a FULL U.S. ENTRY SUSPENSION

Under Section 4(e), all immigrant and non-immigrant entries of Sierra Leonean nationals into the United States are fully suspended starting January 1, 2026.

This means:

Sierra Leoneans cannot be issued:

• Tourist visas (B-1/B-2)

• Student visas (F, M, J)

• Work visas

• Family-based immigrant visas

• Diversity Visa (Green Card lottery)

• Business visas

New visa applications will be denied by default.

Who is NOT affected (important exceptions)

You are NOT barred if you fall into one of these categories: You can still enter the U.S. if you are:

• A U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder)

• A dual national traveling on a non-Sierra Leone passport

• Already holding a valid U.S. visa issued before January 1, 2026

• Traveling on official/diplomatic visas (A, G, NATO categories)

• Part of major international sporting events

• A U.S. government employee under a special immigrant visa

• Granted a case-by-case national interest waiver (very rare)

Family reunification is effectively shut down

One of the biggest impacts is that family-based immigration is no longer broadly allowed. Even:

• Spouses

• Children

• Parents

Do not automatically qualify anymore.

The U.S. government explicitly says family ties have been used in the past for fraud and financing of illegal activity, so family visas are no longer a blanket exception.

Why Sierra Leone specifically?

The proclamation cites Sierra Leone for:

• High visa overstay rates

• ~16% for tourist visas

• ~36% for student/exchange visas (very high by U.S. standards)

• Failure to accept deported nationals consistently

• Weak civil documentation systems

• Unreliable criminal records

• Corruption and document fraud risks

In short, the U.S. says it cannot trust documents or background checks coming from Sierra Leone.

What this means economically and socially

For individuals:

• Education pathways to the U.S. are cut off

• Medical travel to the U.S. becomes nearly impossible

• Business mobility is severely restricted

• Families remain separated indefinitely

For the country:

• Loss of remittances

• Reduced educational and professional exchange

• Diplomatic strain with the U.S.

• Increased stigma for Sierra Leonean passports globally

Is this permanent?

No — but it is open-ended.

• Reviews occur every 180 days

• Restrictions can be lifted only if Sierra Leone:

• Improves civil registration (births, deaths, marriages)

• Reduces visa overstays

• Accepts deported nationals

• Strengthens document security and recordkeeping

• Cooperates fully with U.S. vetting requests

Until then, the suspension remains in force.

Practical advice for Sierra Leoneans

• Do not apply for new U.S. visas unless you clearly qualify for an exception

• If you have another nationality, use that passport

• If you already have a U.S. visa, travel before it expires

• Focus on alternative destinations (UK, Canada, Schengen, etc.)

• Expect much stricter scrutiny globally, not just from the U.S.

Bottom line (plain truth)

For Sierra Leoneans, this is effectively a U.S. travel ban — one of the harshest levels of restriction — with very limited escape routes.

RESTRICTING AND LIMITING THE ENTRY OF FOREIGN NATIONALS TO PROTECT THE SECURITY OF THE UNITED STATES

President Donald J. Trump – The WHITE HOUSE

READ

END UPDATE

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“LATEST UPDATE: June 9, 2025: Travel Ban in Effect.”

— Source: US Embassy, Freetown, Sierra Leone

US Embassy, Freetown

In accordance with the presidential proclamation, the U.S. Embassy has suspended issuance of tourist, business, student, and exchange visitor nonimmigrant visas (categories B, F, M, and J) to nationals of Sierra Leone and can only issue immigrant visas for immediate family members of U.S. Citizens (IR-1/CR-1, IR-2/CR-2, IR-5) or adoption (IR-3, IR-4, IH-3, IH-4) to nationals of Sierra Leone.

This proclamation does not revoke existing visas. If you already have a valid visa and use it lawfully, you may still travel to the United States and apply for entry at immigration.

We strongly encourage all travelers to use their visa as intended and to avoid possible penalties and deportation for overstays.

In accordance with the presidential proclamation, the U.S. Embassy has suspended issuance of tourist, business, student, and exchange visitor nonimmigrant visas (categories B, F, M, and J) to nationals of Sierra Leone and can only issue immigrant visas for immediate family…

— USEmbassyFreetown (@USEmbFreetown) June 9, 2025

END JUNE 9, 2025 UPDATE

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“Trump signed a ban on travel to the US by nationals from 12 countries.”

— Source: UPDATED: Wednesday, May 4, 2025 | 8:45 PM EDT: The president made the final call on signing this proclamation after the antisemitic attack in Boulder, Colorado, according to a White House official. He was considering it beforehand, but Sunday’s assault put it into motion faster.

“Trump signs ban on travel to the US from 12 countries: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen

There are an additional seven countries whose nationals face partial travel restrictions: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela

The White House says these "common sense restrictions" will "protect Americans from dangerous foreign actors."

The proclamation is the second time Trump has ordered a ban on travel from certain countries - he signed a similar order in 2017, during his first administration.

These common-sense restrictions are country-specific and include places that lack proper vetting, exhibit high visa overstay rates, or fail to share identity and threat information," the spokeswoman told the BBC's US partner CBS, ~ BBC News

Visa overstays are again presented as the key issue in the cases of Burundi, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, and Turkmenistan.

Also reported by media outlets in the US.

CNN Politics: Trump signs proclamation to ban travel from several countries

CNN — President Donald Trump signed a proclamation Wednesday evening to ban travel from several countries to the US, citing security risks.

The ban will fully restrict entry of nationals from 12 countries: Afghanistan, Myanmar, also known as Burma; Chad; the Republic of the Congo; Equatorial Guinea; Eritrea; Haiti; Iran; Libya; Somalia; Sudan; and Yemen.

People from seven countries will have partial restrictions: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.

The proclamation includes exceptions for lawful permanent residents, existing visa holders, certain visa categories, and individuals whose entry serves US national interests.

The president made the final call on signing this proclamation after the antisemitic attack in Boulder, Colorado, according to a White House official. He was considering it beforehand, but Sunday’s assault put it into motion faster.

The White House is touting the new president’s travel ban as “fulfilling” a campaign promise to “protect Americans from dangerous foreign actors that want to come to our country and cause us harm.”

“President Trump is fulfilling his promise to protect Americans from dangerous foreign actors who want to come to our country and cause us harm. These commonsense restrictions are country-specific and include places that lack proper vetting, exhibit high visa overstay rates, or fail to share identity and threat information,” White House deputy press secretary Abigail Jackson wrote on X.

Trump said in a video posted Wednesday that new countries could be added to the travel ban as “threats emerge around the world.”

“The list is subject to revision based on whether material improvements are made. And likewise, new countries can be added as threats emerge around the world, but we will not allow people to enter our country who wish to do us harm, and nothing will stop us from keeping America safe,” the president said.

The proclamation takes effect at 12:01 AM on June 9, according to the White House.

Wednesday’s proclamation comes less than five months after the president was inaugurated into office for his second term. On his first day in office, he issued an executive order directing cabinet members, including the secretary of state, to compile a list of countries “for which vetting and screening information is so deficient as to warrant a partial or full suspension on the admission of nationals from those countries.”

In his first term, Trump barred travelers from seven majority-Muslim nations from coming to the US, a policy that saw court challenges before President Joe Biden repealed it when he took office in 2021.

The barring of nationals from Afghanistan could impact Afghans who worked alongside the US during its two decades of war there. Tens of thousands of Afghans have already been caught in limbo due to other Trump administration executive orders suspending the US refugee admissions program and the suspension of foreign aid funding for flights of Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders.

This story and headline have been updated with additional information.

By Kristen Holmes, Alayna Treene, Kaitlan Collins and Samantha Waldenberg, CNN

“Date: 5 June 2025 | Press Release No:_ /2025 | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | Statement of the African Union Commission on US Travel ban.”

— Source: African Union (AU) INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION DIRECTORATE

END UPDATE

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‘Affluent business travelers could be permitted entry, but not individuals traveling on immigrant or tourist visas, according to The New York Times. Citizens from these countries would also be required to undergo mandatory in-person interviews’ ~New York Times.

The list is subject to change and requires approval from the Trump administration, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The draft visa ban reflects the executive order known as the Muslim ban issued during Trump's first term. This order restricted travel and refugee resettlement from several predominantly Muslim countries.

The draft list categorizes countries into three distinct groups, each with varying levels of restrictions:

• The first level, 'Red', faces a full visa ban affecting 11 countries.

• The second level, labeled 'Orange,' has strict visa restrictions, which affect tourists, students, and other visa categories.

• The third-level 'Yellow' countries have 60 days to address all concerns raised by the United States.

How did Sierra Leone end up in the orange category of restricted visas?

Reasons can be found in the US State Department 2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices in Sierra Leone, and the current state of affairs.

READ US State Department 2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Sierra Leone

It provides a thorough analysis of human rights issues, including credible reports of arbitrary or unlawful killings, harsh and life-threatening prison conditions, and arbitrary arrests or detentions, among others.

The government took some steps to identify and punish officials who may have committed human rights abuses, but impunity persisted.

WATCH: The analysis, the reasons for the ranking, and potential remedies for Sierra Leone!

“USA To Impose Travel Ban on Sierra Leone: Is Sierra Leone the Worst African Country?”

— Prof. Dr. Prince Hyce Bull

Theo Edwards for YAME Digital

Download the 2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for Sierra Leone from the US State Department HERE!