U.S. Administration Exempts Foreign Doctors from Travel Ban on 39 Countries

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.

The policy change occurs amid a significant doctor shortage in the United States. The Health Resources and Services Administration projects a shortfall of more than 113,000 doctors by 2028, increasing to over 141,000 by 2038. This exemption applies only to foreign medical workers applying from outside the country, not those already in the United States whose immigration status may remain uncertain.

The change was made without a formal announcement. The administration's top border official, Rodney Scott, has discussed related border security measures.