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Proclamation 9645 of September 24, 2017 

Enhancing Vetting Capabilities and Processes for Detecting 

Attempted Entry Into the United States by Terrorists or 

Other Public-Safety Threats 

By the President of the United States of America 

A Proclamation 

In Executive Order 13780 of March 6, 2017 (Protecting the Nation from 

Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States), on the recommendations 

of the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Attorney General, I ordered 

a worldwide review of whether, and if so what, additional information 

would be needed from each foreign country to assess adequately whether 

their nationals seeking to enter the United States pose a security or safety 

threat. This was the first such review of its kind in United States history. 

As part of the review, the Secretary of Homeland Security established global 

requirements for information sharing in support of immigration screening 

and vetting. The Secretary of Homeland Security developed a comprehensive 

set of criteria and applied it to the information-sharing practices, policies, 

and capabilities of foreign governments. The Secretary of State thereafter 

engaged with the countries reviewed in an effort to address deficiencies 

and achieve improvements. In many instances, those efforts produced positive results. By obtaining additional information and formal commitments 

from foreign governments, the United States Government has improved its 

capacity and ability to assess whether foreign nationals attempting to enter 

the United States pose a security or safety threat. Our Nation is safer as 

a result of this work. 

Despite those efforts, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation 

with the Secretary of State and the Attorney General, has determined that 

a small number of countries—out of nearly 200 evaluated—remain deficient 

at this time with respect to their identity-management and informationsharing capabilities, protocols, and practices. In some cases, these countries 

also have a significant terrorist presence within their territory. 

As President, I must act to protect the security and interests of the United 

States and its people. I am committed to our ongoing efforts to engage 

those countries willing to cooperate, improve information-sharing and identity-management protocols and procedures, and address both terrorism-related and public-safety risks. Some of the countries with remaining inadequacies face significant challenges. Others have made strides to improve their 

protocols and procedures, and I commend them for these efforts. But until 

they satisfactorily address the identified inadequacies, I have determined, 

on the basis of recommendations from the Secretary of Homeland Security 

and other members of my Cabinet, to impose certain conditional restrictions 

and limitations, as set forth more fully below, on entry into the United 

States of nationals of the countries identified in section 2 of this proclamation. 

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, by the authority vested in me 

by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including 

sections 212(f) and 215(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), 

8 U.S.C. 1182(f) and 1185(a), and section 301 of title 3, United States 

Code, hereby find that, absent the measures set forth in this proclamation, 

the immigrant and nonimmigrant entry into the United States of persons 

described in section 2 of this proclamation would be detrimental to the 


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interests of the United States, and that their entry should be subject to 

certain restrictions, limitations, and exceptions. I therefore hereby proclaim 

the following: 

Section 1. Policy and Purpose. (a) It is the policy of the United States 

to protect its citizens from terrorist attacks and other public-safety threats. 

Screening and vetting protocols and procedures associated with visa adjudications and other immigration processes play a critical role in implementing 

that policy. They enhance our ability to detect foreign nationals who may 

commit, aid, or support acts of terrorism, or otherwise pose a safety threat, 

and they aid our efforts to prevent such individuals from entering the 

United States. 

(b) Information-sharing and identity-management protocols and practices 

of foreign governments are important for the effectiveness of the screening 

and vetting protocols and procedures of the United States. Governments 

manage the identity and travel documents of their nationals and residents. 

They also control the circumstances under which they provide information 

about their nationals to other governments, including information about 

known or suspected terrorists and criminal-history information. It is, therefore, the policy of the United States to take all necessary and appropriate 

steps to encourage foreign governments to improve their information-sharing 

and identity-management protocols and practices and to regularly share 

identity and threat information with our immigration screening and vetting 

systems. 

(c) Section 2(a) of Executive Order 13780 directed a ‘‘worldwide review 

to identify whether, and if so what, additional information will be needed 

from each foreign country to adjudicate an application by a national of 

that country for a visa, admission, or other benefit under the INA (adjudications) in order to determine that the individual is not a security or publicsafety threat.’’ That review culminated in a report submitted to the President 

by the Secretary of Homeland Security on July 9, 2017. In that review, 

the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of 

State and the Director of National Intelligence, developed a baseline for 

the kinds of information required from foreign governments to support the 

United States Government’s ability to confirm the identity of individuals 

seeking entry into the United States as immigrants and nonimmigrants, 

as well as individuals applying for any other benefit under the immigration 

laws, and to assess whether they are a security or public-safety threat. 

That baseline incorporates three categories of criteria: 

(i) Identity-management information. The United States expects foreign 

governments to provide the information needed to determine whether 

individuals seeking benefits under the immigration laws are who they 

claim to be. The identity-management information category focuses on 

the integrity of documents required for travel to the United States. The 

criteria assessed in this category include whether the country issues electronic passports embedded with data to enable confirmation of identity, 

reports lost and stolen passports to appropriate entities, and makes available upon request identity-related information not included in its passports. 

(ii) National security and public-safety information. The United States 

expects foreign governments to provide information about whether persons 

who seek entry to this country pose national security or public-safety 

risks. The criteria assessed in this category include whether the country 

makes available, directly or indirectly, known or suspected terrorist and 

criminal-history information upon request, whether the country provides 

passport and national-identity document exemplars, and whether the country impedes the United States Government’s receipt of information about 

passengers and crew traveling to the United States. 

(iii) National security and public-safety risk assessment. The national security and public-safety risk assessment category focuses on national security 

risk indicators. The criteria assessed in this category include whether 

the country is a known or potential terrorist safe haven, whether it is 


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a participant in the Visa Waiver Program established under section 217 

of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1187, that meets all of its requirements, and whether 

it regularly fails to receive its nationals subject to final orders of removal 

from the United States. 

(d) The Department of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Department of State, collected data on the performance of all foreign governments 

and assessed each country against the baseline described in subsection (c) 

of this section. The assessment focused, in particular, on identity management, security and public-safety threats, and national security risks. Through 

this assessment, the agencies measured each country’s performance with 

respect to issuing reliable travel documents and implementing adequate 

identity-management and information-sharing protocols and procedures, and 

evaluated terrorism-related and public-safety risks associated with foreign 

nationals seeking entry into the United States from each country. 

(e) The Department of Homeland Security evaluated each country against 

the baseline described in subsection (c) of this section. The Secretary of 

Homeland Security identified 16 countries as being ‘‘inadequate’’ based on 

an analysis of their identity-management protocols, information-sharing practices, and risk factors. Thirty-one additional countries were classified ‘‘at 

risk’’ of becoming ‘‘inadequate’’ based on those criteria. 

(f) As required by section 2(d) of Executive Order 13780, the Department 

of State conducted a 50-day engagement period to encourage all foreign 

governments, not just the 47 identified as either ‘‘inadequate’’ or ‘‘at risk,’’ 

to improve their performance with respect to the baseline described in 

subsection (c) of this section. Those engagements yielded significant improvements in many countries. Twenty-nine countries, for example, provided 

travel document exemplars for use by Department of Homeland Security 

officials to combat fraud. Eleven countries agreed to share information on 

known or suspected terrorists. 

(g) The Secretary of Homeland Security assesses that the following countries continue to have ‘‘inadequate’’ identity-management protocols, information-sharing practices, and risk factors, with respect to the baseline described 

in subsection (c) of this section, such that entry restrictions and limitations 

are recommended: Chad, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Syria, Venezuela, and 

Yemen. The Secretary of Homeland Security also assesses that Iraq did 

not meet the baseline, but that entry restrictions and limitations under 

a Presidential proclamation are not warranted. The Secretary of Homeland 

Security recommends, however, that nationals of Iraq who seek to enter 

the United States be subject to additional scrutiny to determine if they 

pose risks to the national security or public safety of the United States. 

In reaching these conclusions, the Secretary of Homeland Security considered 

the close cooperative relationship between the United States and the democratically elected government of Iraq, the strong United States diplomatic 

presence in Iraq, the significant presence of United States forces in Iraq, 

and Iraq’s commitment to combating the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria 

(ISIS). 

(h) Section 2(e) of Executive Order 13780 directed the Secretary of Homeland Security to ‘‘submit to the President a list of countries recommended 

for inclusion in a Presidential proclamation that would prohibit the entry 

of appropriate categories of foreign nationals of countries that have not 

provided the information requested until they do so or until the Secretary 

of Homeland Security certifies that the country has an adequate plan to 

do so, or has adequately shared information through other means.’’ On 

September 15, 2017, the Secretary of Homeland Security submitted a report 

to me recommending entry restrictions and limitations on certain nationals 

of 7 countries determined to be ‘‘inadequate’’ in providing such information 

and in light of other factors discussed in the report. According to the 

report, the recommended restrictions would help address the threats that 

the countries’ identity-management protocols, information-sharing inadequacies, and other risk factors pose to the security and welfare of the United 


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States. The restrictions also encourage the countries to work with the United 

States to address those inadequacies and risks so that the restrictions and 

limitations imposed by this proclamation may be relaxed or removed as 

soon as possible. 

(i) In evaluating the recommendations of the Secretary of Homeland Security and in determining what restrictions to impose for each country, 

I consulted with appropriate Assistants to the President and members 

of the Cabinet, including the Secretaries of State, Defense, and Homeland 

Security, and the Attorney General. I considered several factors, including 

each country’s capacity, ability, and willingness to cooperate with our 

identity-management and information-sharing policies and each country’s 

risk factors, such as whether it has a significant terrorist presence within 

its territory. I also considered foreign policy, national security, and counterterrorism goals. I reviewed these factors and assessed these goals, with 

a particular focus on crafting those country-specific restrictions that would 

be most likely to encourage cooperation given each country’s distinct 

circumstances, and that would, at the same time, protect the United States 

until such time as improvements occur. The restrictions and limitations 

imposed by this proclamation are, in my judgment, necessary to prevent 

the entry of those foreign nationals about whom the United States Government lacks sufficient information to assess the risks they pose to the 

United States. These restrictions and limitations are also needed to elicit 

improved identity-management and information-sharing protocols and 

practices from foreign governments; and to advance foreign policy, national 

security, and counterterrorism objectives. 

(ii) After reviewing the Secretary of Homeland Security’s report of September 15, 2017, and accounting for the foreign policy, national security, 

and counterterrorism objectives of the United States, I have determined 

to restrict and limit the entry of nationals of 7 countries found to be 

‘‘inadequate’’ with respect to the baseline described in subsection (c) 

of this section: Chad, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Syria, Venezuela, and 

Yemen. These restrictions distinguish between the entry of immigrants 

and nonimmigrants. Persons admitted on immigrant visas become lawful 

permanent residents of the United States. Such persons may present national security or public-safety concerns that may be distinct from those 

admitted as nonimmigrants. The United States affords lawful permanent 

residents more enduring rights than it does to nonimmigrants. Lawful 

permanent residents are more difficult to remove than nonimmigrants 

even after national security concerns arise, which heightens the costs 

and dangers of errors associated with admitting such individuals. And 

although immigrants generally receive more extensive vetting than nonimmigrants, such vetting is less reliable when the country from which 

someone seeks to emigrate exhibits significant gaps in its identity-management or information-sharing policies, or presents risks to the national 

security of the United States. For all but one of those 7 countries, therefore, 

I am restricting the entry of all immigrants. 

(iii) I am adopting a more tailored approach with respect to nonimmigrants, 

in accordance with the recommendations of the Secretary of Homeland 

Security. For some countries found to be ‘‘inadequate’’ with respect to 

the baseline described in subsection (c) of this section, I am restricting 

the entry of all nonimmigrants. For countries with certain mitigating factors, such as a willingness to cooperate or play a substantial role in 

combatting terrorism, I am restricting the entry only of certain categories 

of nonimmigrants, which will mitigate the security threats presented by 

their entry into the United States. In those cases in which future cooperation seems reasonably likely, and accounting for foreign policy, national 

security, and counterterrorism objectives, I have tailored the restrictions 

to encourage such improvements. 

(i) Section 2(e) of Executive Order 13780 also provided that the ‘‘Secretary 

of State, the Attorney General, or the Secretary of Homeland Security may 

also submit to the President the names of additional countries for which 


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any of them recommends other lawful restrictions or limitations deemed 

necessary for the security or welfare of the United States.’’ The Secretary 

of Homeland Security determined that Somalia generally satisfies the information-sharing requirements of the baseline described in subsection (c) of 

this section, but its government’s inability to effectively and consistently 

cooperate, combined with the terrorist threat that emanates from its territory, 

present special circumstances that warrant restrictions and limitations on 

the entry of its nationals into the United States. Somalia’s identity-management deficiencies and the significant terrorist presence within its territory 

make it a source of particular risks to the national security and public 

safety of the United States. Based on the considerations mentioned above, 

and as described further in section 2(h) of this proclamation, I have determined that entry restrictions, limitations, and other measures designed to 

ensure proper screening and vetting for nationals of Somalia are necessary 

for the security and welfare of the United States. 

(j) Section 2 of this proclamation describes some of the inadequacies 

that led me to impose restrictions on the specified countries. Describing 

all of those reasons publicly, however, would cause serious damage to 

the national security of the United States, and many such descriptions 

are classified. 

Sec. 2. Suspension of Entry for Nationals of Countries of Identified Concern. 

The entry into the United States of nationals of the following countries 

is hereby suspended and limited, as follows, subject to categorical exceptions 

and case-by-case waivers, as described in sections 3 and 6 of this proclamation: 

(a) Chad. 

(i) The government of Chad is an important and valuable counterterrorism 

partner of the United States, and the United States Government looks 

forward to expanding that cooperation, including in the areas of immigration and border management. Chad has shown a clear willingness to 

improve in these areas. Nonetheless, Chad does not adequately share 

public-safety and terrorism-related information and fails to satisfy at least 

one key risk criterion. Additionally, several terrorist groups are active 

within Chad or in the surrounding region, including elements of Boko 

Haram, ISIS-West Africa, and al-Qa’ida in the Islamic Maghreb. At this 

time, additional information sharing to identify those foreign nationals 

applying for visas or seeking entry into the United States who represent 

national security and public-safety threats is necessary given the significant 

terrorism-related risk from this country. 

(ii) The entry into the United States of nationals of Chad, as immigrants, 

and as nonimmigrants on business (B–1), tourist (B–2), and business/ 

tourist (B–1/B–2) visas, is hereby suspended. 

(b) Iran. 

(i) Iran regularly fails to cooperate with the United States Government 

in identifying security risks, fails to satisfy at least one key risk criterion, 

is the source of significant terrorist threats, and fails to receive its nationals 

subject to final orders of removal from the United States. The Department 

of State has also designated Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism. 

(ii) The entry into the United States of nationals of Iran as immigrants 

and as nonimmigrants is hereby suspended, except that entry by such 

nationals under valid student (F and M) and exchange visitor (J) visas 

is not suspended, although such individuals should be subject to enhanced 

screening and vetting requirements. 

(c) Libya. 

(i) The government of Libya is an important and valuable counterterrorism 

partner of the United States, and the United States Government looks 

forward to expanding on that cooperation, including in the areas of immigration and border management. Libya, nonetheless, faces significant challenges in sharing several types of information, including public-safety 


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and terrorism-related information necessary for the protection of the national security and public safety of the United States. Libya also has 

significant inadequacies in its identity-management protocols. Further, 

Libya fails to satisfy at least one key risk criterion and has been assessed 

to be not fully cooperative with respect to receiving its nationals subject 

to final orders of removal from the United States. The substantial terrorist 

presence within Libya’s territory amplifies the risks posed by the entry 

into the United States of its nationals. 

(ii) The entry into the United States of nationals of Libya, as immigrants, 

and as nonimmigrants on business (B–1), tourist (B–2), and business/ 

tourist (B–1/B–2) visas, is hereby suspended. 

(d) North Korea. 

(i) North Korea does not cooperate with the United States Government 

in any respect and fails to satisfy all information-sharing requirements. 

(ii) The entry into the United States of nationals of North Korea as immigrants and nonimmigrants is hereby suspended. 

(e) Syria. 

(i) Syria regularly fails to cooperate with the United States Government 

in identifying security risks, is the source of significant terrorist threats, 

and has been designated by the Department of State as a state sponsor 

of terrorism. Syria has significant inadequacies in identity-management 

protocols, fails to share public-safety and terrorism information, and fails 

to satisfy at least one key risk criterion. 

(ii) The entry into the United States of nationals of Syria as immigrants 

and nonimmigrants is hereby suspended. 

(f) Venezuela. 

(i) Venezuela has adopted many of the baseline standards identified by 

the Secretary of Homeland Security and in section 1 of this proclamation, 

but its government is uncooperative in verifying whether its citizens pose 

national security or public-safety threats. Venezuela’s government fails 

to share public-safety and terrorism-related information adequately, fails 

to satisfy at least one key risk criterion, and has been assessed to be 

not fully cooperative with respect to receiving its nationals subject to 

final orders of removal from the United States. There are, however, alternative sources for obtaining information to verify the citizenship and 

identity of nationals from Venezuela. As a result, the restrictions imposed 

by this proclamation focus on government officials of Venezuela who 

are responsible for the identified inadequacies. 

(ii) Notwithstanding section 3(b)(v) of this proclamation, the entry into 

the United States of officials of government agencies of Venezuela involved 

in screening and vetting procedures—including the Ministry of the Popular 

Power for Interior, Justice and Peace; the Administrative Service of Identification, Migration and Immigration; the Scientific, Penal and Criminal 

Investigation Service Corps; the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service; 

and the Ministry of the Popular Power for Foreign Relations—and their 

immediate family members, as nonimmigrants on business (B–1), tourist 

(B–2), and business/tourist (B–1/B–2) visas, is hereby suspended. Further, 

nationals of Venezuela who are visa holders should be subject to appropriate additional measures to ensure traveler information remains current. 

(g) Yemen. 

(i) The government of Yemen is an important and valuable counterterrorism 

partner, and the United States Government looks forward to expanding 

that cooperation, including in the areas of immigration and border management. Yemen, nonetheless, faces significant identity-management challenges, which are amplified by the notable terrorist presence within its 

territory. The government of Yemen fails to satisfy critical identity-management requirements, does not share public-safety and terrorism-related information adequately, and fails to satisfy at least one key risk criterion. 


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(ii) The entry into the United States of nationals of Yemen as immigrants, 

and as nonimmigrants on business (B–1), tourist (B–2), and business/ 

tourist (B–1/B–2) visas, is hereby suspended. 

(h) Somalia. 

(i) The Secretary of Homeland Security’s report of September 15, 2017, 

determined that Somalia satisfies the information-sharing requirements 

of the baseline described in section 1(c) of this proclamation. But several 

other considerations support imposing entry restrictions and limitations 

on Somalia. Somalia has significant identity-management deficiencies. For 

example, while Somalia issues an electronic passport, the United States 

and many other countries do not recognize it. A persistent terrorist threat 

also emanates from Somalia’s territory. The United States Government 

has identified Somalia as a terrorist safe haven. Somalia stands apart 

from other countries in the degree to which its government lacks command 

and control of its territory, which greatly limits the effectiveness of its 

national capabilities in a variety of respects. Terrorists use under-governed 

areas in northern, central, and southern Somalia as safe havens from 

which to plan, facilitate, and conduct their operations. Somalia also remains a destination for individuals attempting to join terrorist groups 

that threaten the national security of the United States. The State Department’s 2016 Country Reports on Terrorism observed that Somalia has 

not sufficiently degraded the ability of terrorist groups to plan and mount 

attacks from its territory. Further, despite having made significant progress 

toward formally federating its member states, and its willingness to fight 

terrorism, Somalia continues to struggle to provide the governance needed 

to limit terrorists’ freedom of movement, access to resources, and capacity 

to operate. The government of Somalia’s lack of territorial control also 

compromises Somalia’s ability, already limited because of poor recordkeeping, to share information about its nationals who pose criminal or 

terrorist risks. As a result of these and other factors, Somalia presents 

special concerns that distinguish it from other countries. 

(ii) The entry into the United States of nationals of Somalia as immigrants 

is hereby suspended. Additionally, visa adjudications for nationals of Somalia and decisions regarding their entry as nonimmigrants should be 

subject to additional scrutiny to determine if applicants are connected 

to terrorist organizations or otherwise pose a threat to the national security 

or public safety of the United States. 

Sec. 3. Scope and Implementation of Suspensions and Limitations. (a) Scope. 

Subject to the exceptions set forth in subsection (b) of this section and 

any waiver under subsection (c) of this section, the suspensions of and 

limitations on entry pursuant to section 2 of this proclamation shall apply 

only to foreign nationals of the designated countries who: 

(i) are outside the United States on the applicable effective date under 

section 7 of this proclamation; 

(ii) do not have a valid visa on the applicable effective date under section 

7 of this proclamation; and 

(iii) do not qualify for a visa or other valid travel document under section 

6(d) of this proclamation. 

(b) Exceptions. The suspension of entry pursuant to section 2 of this 

proclamation shall not apply to: 

(i) any lawful permanent resident of the United States; 

(ii) any foreign national who is admitted to or paroled into the United 

States on or after the applicable effective date under section 7 of this 

proclamation; 

(iii) any foreign national who has a document other than a visa—such 

as a transportation letter, an appropriate boarding foil, or an advance 

parole document—valid on the applicable effective date under section 

7 of this proclamation or issued on any date thereafter, that permits 

him or her to travel to the United States and seek entry or admission; 


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(iv) any dual national of a country designated under section 2 of this 

proclamation when the individual is traveling on a passport issued by 

a non-designated country; 

(v) any foreign national traveling on a diplomatic or diplomatic-type visa, 

North Atlantic Treaty Organization visa, C–2 visa for travel to the United 

Nations, or G–1, G–2, G–3, or G–4 visa; or 

(vi) any foreign national who has been granted asylum by the United 

States; any refugee who has already been admitted to the United States; 

or any individual who has been granted withholding of removal, advance 

parole, or protection under the Convention Against Torture. 

(c) Waivers. Notwithstanding the suspensions of and limitations on entry 

set forth in section 2 of this proclamation, a consular officer, or the Commissioner, United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP), or the Commissioner’s designee, as appropriate, may, in their discretion, grant waivers 

on a case-by-case basis to permit the entry of foreign nationals for whom 

entry is otherwise suspended or limited if such foreign nationals demonstrate 

that waivers would be appropriate and consistent with subsections (i) through 

(iv) of this subsection. The Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland 

Security shall coordinate to adopt guidance addressing the circumstances 

in which waivers may be appropriate for foreign nationals seeking entry 

as immigrants or nonimmigrants. 

(i) A waiver may be granted only if a foreign national demonstrates to 

the consular officer’s or CBP official’s satisfaction that: 

(A) denying entry would cause the foreign national undue hardship; 

(B) entry would not pose a threat to the national security or public 

safety of the United States; and 

(C) entry would be in the national interest. 

(ii) The guidance issued by the Secretary of State and the Secretary of 

Homeland Security under this subsection shall address the standards, 

policies, and procedures for: 

(A) determining whether the entry of a foreign national would not 

pose a threat to the national security or public safety of the United 

States; 

(B) determining whether the entry of a foreign national would be in 

the national interest; 

(C) addressing and managing the risks of making such a determination 

in light of the inadequacies in information sharing, identity management, 

and other potential dangers posed by the nationals of individual countries 

subject to the restrictions and limitations imposed by this proclamation; 

(D) assessing whether the United States has access, at the time of the 

waiver determination, to sufficient information about the foreign national 

to determine whether entry would satisfy the requirements of subsection 

(i) of this subsection; and 

(E) determining the special circumstances that would justify granting 

a waiver under subsection (iv)(E) of this subsection. 

(iii) Unless otherwise specified by the Secretary of Homeland Security, 

any waiver issued by a consular officer as part of the visa adjudication 

process will be effective both for the issuance of a visa and for any 

subsequent entry on that visa, but will leave unchanged all other requirements for admission or entry. 

(iv) Case-by-case waivers may not be granted categorically, but may be 

appropriate, subject to the limitations, conditions, and requirements set 

forth under subsection (i) of this subsection and the guidance issued 

under subsection (ii) of this subsection, in individual circumstances such 

as the following: 


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(A) the foreign national has previously been admitted to the United 

States for a continuous period of work, study, or other long-term activity, 

is outside the United States on the applicable effective date under section 

7 of this proclamation, seeks to reenter the United States to resume that 

activity, and the denial of reentry would impair that activity; 

(B) the foreign national has previously established significant contacts 

with the United States but is outside the United States on the applicable 

effective date under section 7 of this proclamation for work, study, or 

other lawful activity; 

(C) the foreign national seeks to enter the United States for significant 

business or professional obligations and the denial of entry would impair 

those obligations; 

(D) the foreign national seeks to enter the United States to visit or 

reside with a close family member (e.g., a spouse, child, or parent) who 

is a United States citizen, lawful permanent resident, or alien lawfully 

admitted on a valid nonimmigrant visa, and the denial of entry would 

cause the foreign national undue hardship; 

(E) the foreign national is an infant, a young child or adoptee, an 

individual needing urgent medical care, or someone whose entry is otherwise justified by the special circumstances of the case; 

(F) the foreign national has been employed by, or on behalf of, the 

United States Government (or is an eligible dependent of such an employee), and the foreign national can document that he or she has provided 

faithful and valuable service to the United States Government; 

(G) the foreign national is traveling for purposes related to an international organization designated under the International Organizations Immunities Act (IOIA), 22 U.S.C. 288 et seq., traveling for purposes of 

conducting meetings or business with the United States Government, or 

traveling to conduct business on behalf of an international organization 

not designated under the IOIA; 

(H) the foreign national is a Canadian permanent resident who applies 

for a visa at a location within Canada; 

(I) the foreign national is traveling as a United States Government– 

sponsored exchange visitor; or 

(J) the foreign national is traveling to the United States, at the request 

of a United States Government department or agency, for legitimate law 

enforcement, foreign policy, or national security purposes. 

Sec. 4. Adjustments to and Removal of Suspensions and Limitations. (a) 

The Secretary of Homeland Security shall, in consultation with the Secretary 

of State, devise a process to assess whether any suspensions and limitations 

imposed by section 2 of this proclamation should be continued, terminated, 

modified, or supplemented. The process shall account for whether countries 

have improved their identity-management and information-sharing protocols 

and procedures based on the criteria set forth in section 1 of this proclamation 

and the Secretary of Homeland Security’s report of September 15, 2017. 

Within 180 days of the date of this proclamation, and every 180 days 

thereafter, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the 

Secretary of State, the Attorney General, the Director of National Intelligence, 

and other appropriate heads of agencies, shall submit a report with recommendations to the President, through appropriate Assistants to the President, regarding the following: 

(i) the interests of the United States, if any, that continue to require 

the suspension of, or limitations on, the entry on certain classes of nationals 

of countries identified in section 2 of this proclamation and whether 

the restrictions and limitations imposed by section 2 of this proclamation 

should be continued, modified, terminated, or supplemented; and 


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(ii) the interests of the United States, if any, that require the suspension 

of, or limitations on, the entry of certain classes of nationals of countries 

not identified in this proclamation. 

(b) The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland 

Security, the Secretary of Defense, the Attorney General, the Director of 

National Intelligence, and the head of any other executive department or 

agency (agency) that the Secretary of State deems appropriate, shall engage 

the countries listed in section 2 of this proclamation, and any other countries 

that have information-sharing, identity-management, or risk-factor deficiencies as practicable, appropriate, and consistent with the foreign policy, 

national security, and public-safety objectives of the United States. 

(c) Notwithstanding the process described above, and consistent with the 

process described in section 2(f) of Executive Order 13780, if the Secretary 

of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, and the Director of National Intelligence, determines, at any 

time, that a country meets the standards of the baseline described in section 

1(c) of this proclamation, that a country has an adequate plan to provide 

such information, or that one or more of the restrictions or limitations 

imposed on the entry of a country’s nationals are no longer necessary for 

the security or welfare of the United States, the Secretary of Homeland 

Security may recommend to the President the removal or modification of 

any or all such restrictions and limitations. The Secretary of Homeland 

Security, the Secretary of State, or the Attorney General may also, as provided 

for in Executive Order 13780, submit to the President the names of additional 

countries for which any of them recommends any lawful restrictions or 

limitations deemed necessary for the security or welfare of the United States. 

Sec. 5. Reports on Screening and Vetting Procedures. (a) The Secretary 

of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, the Director of National Intelligence, and other appropriate 

heads of agencies shall submit periodic reports to the President, through 

appropriate Assistants to the President, that: 

(i) describe the steps the United States Government has taken to improve 

vetting for nationals of all foreign countries, including through improved 

collection of biometric and biographic data; 

(ii) describe the scope and magnitude of fraud, errors, false information, 

and unverifiable claims, as determined by the Secretary of Homeland 

Security on the basis of a validation study, made in applications for 

immigration benefits under the immigration laws; and 

(iii) evaluate the procedures related to screening and vetting established 

by the Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs in order to enhance 

the safety and security of the United States and to ensure sufficient review 

of applications for immigration benefits. 

(b) The initial report required under subsection (a) of this section shall 

be submitted within 180 days of the date of this proclamation; the second 

report shall be submitted within 270 days of the first report; and reports 

shall be submitted annually thereafter. 

(c) The agency heads identified in subsection (a) of this section shall 

coordinate any policy developments associated with the reports described 

in subsection (a) of this section through the appropriate Assistants to the 

President. 

Sec. 6. Enforcement. (a) The Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland 

Security shall consult with appropriate domestic and international partners, 

including countries and organizations, to ensure efficient, effective, and 

appropriate implementation of this proclamation. 

(b) In implementing this proclamation, the Secretary of State and the 

Secretary of Homeland Security shall comply with all applicable laws and 

regulations, including those that provide an opportunity for individuals 

to enter the United States on the basis of a credible claim of fear of persecution or torture. 


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(c) No immigrant or nonimmigrant visa issued before the applicable effective date under section 7 of this proclamation shall be revoked pursuant 

to this proclamation. 

(d) Any individual whose visa was marked revoked or marked canceled 

as a result of Executive Order 13769 of January 27, 2017 (Protecting the 

Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States), shall be entitled 

to a travel document confirming that the individual is permitted to travel 

to the United States and seek entry under the terms and conditions of 

the visa marked revoked or marked canceled. Any prior cancellation or 

revocation of a visa that was solely pursuant to Executive Order 13769 

shall not be the basis of inadmissibility for any future determination about 

entry or admissibility. 

(e) This proclamation shall not apply to an individual who has been 

granted asylum by the United States, to a refugee who has already been 

admitted to the United States, or to an individual granted withholding 

of removal or protection under the Convention Against Torture. Nothing 

in this proclamation shall be construed to limit the ability of an individual 

to seek asylum, refugee status, withholding of removal, or protection under 

the Convention Against Torture, consistent with the laws of the United 

States. 

Sec. 7. Effective Dates. Executive Order 13780 ordered a temporary pause 

on the entry of foreign nationals from certain foreign countries. In two 

cases, however, Federal courts have enjoined those restrictions. The Supreme 

Court has stayed those injunctions as to foreign nationals who lack a credible 

claim of a bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the United 

States, pending its review of the decisions of the lower courts. 

(a) The restrictions and limitations established in section 2 of this proclamation are effective at 3:30 p.m. eastern daylight time on September 24, 2017, 

for foreign nationals who: 

(i) were subject to entry restrictions under section 2 of Executive Order 

13780, or would have been subject to the restrictions but for section 

3 of that Executive Order, and 

(ii) lack a credible claim of a bona fide relationship with a person or 

entity in the United States. 

(b) The restrictions and limitations established in section 2 of this proclamation are effective at 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on October 18, 

2017, for all other persons subject to this proclamation, including nationals 

of: 

(i) Iran, Libya, Syria, Yemen, and Somalia who have a credible claim 

of a bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the United States; 

and 

(ii) Chad, North Korea, and Venezuela. 

Sec. 8. Severability. It is the policy of the United States to enforce this 

proclamation to the maximum extent possible to advance the national security, foreign policy, and counterterrorism interests of the United States. 

Accordingly: 

(a) if any provision of this proclamation, or the application of any provision 

to any person or circumstance, is held to be invalid, the remainder of 

this proclamation and the application of its other provisions to any other 

persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby; and 

(b) if any provision of this proclamation, or the application of any provision 

to any person or circumstance, is held to be invalid because of the lack 

of certain procedural requirements, the relevant executive branch officials 

shall implement those procedural requirements to conform with existing 

law and with any applicable court orders. 

Sec. 9. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this proclamation shall be construed 

to impair or otherwise affect: 

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, 

or the head thereof; or 


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(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget 

relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals. 

(b) This proclamation shall be implemented consistent with applicable 

law and subject to the availability of appropriations. 

(c) This proclamation is not intended to, and does not, create any right 

or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by 

any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, 

its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-fourth 

day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand seventeen, and 

of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred 

and forty-second. 

[FR Doc. 2017–20899 

Filed 9–26–17; 11:15 am] 

Billing code 3295–F7–P 


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