politics
U.S. Administration Exempts Foreign Doctors from Travel Ban on 39 Countries
The administration has exempted foreign doctors from a travel ban affecting citizens of 39 countries, allowing them to obtain visas. This change was updated on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website late last week. The policy reversal addresses a doctor shortage in the United States, estimated at over 113,000 by 2028.
May 4, 3:38 PM·2m read1 source
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The administration has exempted foreign doctors from a travel ban imposed on citizens of 39 countries, according to the Department of Homeland Security. This adjustment permits medical professionals from outside the United States to apply for visas.
The change was reported by the New York Times on Sunday. Late last week, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, a Department of Homeland Security agency, updated its website to reflect the policy shift. The update reverses a January policy that had prevented government employees from processing green cards, visa extensions, and work permits for citizens of the affected countries.
Applications for medical physicians will continue to be processed, the Department of Homeland Security stated to the New York Times.
Background on the Travel Ban The travel ban was first imposed in 2017 on seven countries and has since been expanded. A recent expansion occurred late last year following a shooting near the White House targeting National Guard members. The suspect in that incident was identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan citizen who had worked with the CIA during the war, was airlifted from Kabul by U.S. forces in 2021, and was granted asylum in 2025.
The full travel ban applies to countries including Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Burma, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Yemen, and individuals with Palestinian Authority documents.
A partial ban affects citizens of Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
