The four 2026 measures side by side
| Measure | What it does | Turkey affected? | Status on October 1, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proclamation 10998 (travel ban) | Fully or partly suspends entry and visas for nationals of 39 countries | No | In force; litigation continues |
| USCIS benefit holds for the 39 countries | Froze green card, work permit and other USCIS decisions for those nationals | No | Struck down June 5, 2026 (Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island v. USCIS) |
| 75-country immigrant visa pause | Stopped immigrant visa issuance for nationals of 75 countries on public charge grounds | No | Vacated August 21, 2026 (CLINIC v. Rubio, S.D.N.Y.) |
| Worldwide immigrant visa interview pause | Cancelled immigrant visa interviews at all posts for public charge training | Yes | Lifted September 10, 2026; rescheduling under way |
The 39-country travel ban (Proclamation 10998)
Signed December 16, 2025 and effective January 1, 2026, the proclamation fully suspends entry for nationals of 19 countries plus holders of Palestinian Authority travel documents, and partly suspends entry for 20 more. Full restrictions apply to Afghanistan, Burma, Burkina Faso, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Partial restrictions apply to countries including Cuba, Nigeria, Venezuela and Turkmenistan (immigrant visas only). Lawful permanent residents and certain other categories are excepted.
Turkish nationals are not covered. A Turkish national who also holds the nationality of a listed country should get advice on which passport to use, because the proclamation’s dual-national rules are narrow.
The USCIS holds that courts struck down
Alongside the travel ban, USCIS paused green card, work permit and other decisions for nationals of the 39 countries and ordered re-review of some approved cases. On June 5, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island struck down those holds, finding USCIS lacked authority under the Administrative Procedure Act. The ruling did not touch the travel ban itself, so visa issuance and entry restrictions for those nationals continue.
The 75-country immigrant visa pause
In January 2026 the State Department stopped issuing immigrant visas to nationals of 75 countries it described as high risk for relying on public benefits. The list included several of Turkey’s neighbours and trading partners, such as Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Egypt and Russia, but not Turkey. On August 21, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York vacated the policy in CLINIC v. Rubio, holding that it exceeded the Secretary of State’s authority and ordering a return to case-by-case review.
This matters for Turkish families with relatives of other nationalities. A Turkish US citizen sponsoring an Azerbaijani or Georgian spouse, for example, was affected until August.
The worldwide interview pause and what it means in Ankara
On August 26, 2026, the State Department paused immigrant visa interviews at every embassy and consulate so that consular officers could be trained on public charge assessments. It instructed posts to resume processing on September 10, 2026. Nonimmigrant visas (tourist, student, E-2, H-1B and others) were not affected.
For Turkish applicants this has three practical consequences:
- Rescheduling. Interviews at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara that fell in the pause window were cancelled. The petition and your National Visa Center case remain valid; the embassy issues a new date. Keep your medical exam and police certificate valid, as both expire.
- Closer financial review. Expect detailed questions about the US sponsor’s income, the I-864 Affidavit of Support and any joint sponsor. Bring the sponsor’s latest tax transcript, recent pay stubs and an employment letter, not only the documents uploaded to NVC.
- The new public charge framework. DHS rescinded the 2022 public charge regulation effective September 18, 2026, and consular officers are applying a broader review of the applicant’s circumstances. See our public charge guide.
What Turkish applicants should do now
- Check your NVC and embassy messages for a new interview date, and respond quickly.
- Refresh the financial file: a current tax transcript, pay stubs from the last few months and, where income is close to the threshold, a joint sponsor.
- Do not change your plans because of the travel ban headlines. Turkish nationals are not covered by the ban or the vacated 75-country list.
- Plan travel carefully if you are in the US with a pending case. Leaving without advance parole can abandon an adjustment application.
- Get advice if a family member holds a listed nationality. Mixed-nationality families face the most complicated timing.
Sources
- Proclamation 10998, “Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States,” December 16, 2025 (summary: immpolicytracking.org)
- U.S. Department of State, “Suspension of Visa Issuance to Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States”
- Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island v. USCIS (D.R.I., June 5, 2026)
- CLINIC v. Rubio (S.D.N.Y., August 21, 2026)
- Fragomen, “State Department temporarily pauses immigrant visa interviews worldwide,” August 26, 2026
- University of Michigan International Center, “State Department resumes immigrant visa interviews and processing,” September 23, 2026
This article is general information, not legal advice, and reflects the rules as of October 1, 2026.
