The administration of US President Donald Trump is reportedly planning to expand travel restrictions by targeting citizens from up to 43 countries. This move aims to extend the travel ban imposed during his first term. According to The New York Times, US diplomatic and security officials have prepared a draft list identifying the countries whose nationals will be monitored under the proposed policy.

The list is categorised into three sections based on travel restrictions. The "Red" category signifies a complete travel ban. The "Orange" category imposes strict visa limitations. Meanwhile, the "Yellow" category grants a 60-day period to address specific concerns before further action is taken.

The "Red" category includes 11 countries whose citizens would be prohibited from entering the United States. These nations are Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen. According to an anonymous official who spoke to The New York Times, the US State Department created this list several weeks ago. Officials from embassies and regional bureaus, security experts from various departments, and intelligence agencies are reviewing the draft. As a result, the list of countries and their assigned categories may be subject to change.

The draft proposal included an "Orange" list featuring ten countries whose citizens would face travel restrictions but would not be completely barred from entering the United States. According to a report by The New York Times, only wealthy business travellers might be permitted entry, while those applying for immigrant or tourist visas would be excluded. Individuals from these countries must undergo mandatory in-person interviews to obtain a visa. The nations listed under the Orange category are Belarus, Eritrea, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar, Pakistan, Russia, Sierra Leone, South Sudan and Turkmenistan.

Pakistan was ranked as the second most terrorist-affected country in the world, with Burkina Faso taking the top spot. Burkina Faso falls under the yellow category in the list presented by the Trump administration. On his first day in office, Trump signed an executive order directing the State Department to identify 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."

He set a 60-day deadline for the department to complete the report, meaning the list is expected next week. However, it remains uncertain whether individuals with existing visas will be exempt from the ban or if their visas will be revoked. Additionally, it is unclear whether the administration plans to exempt current green card holders who have already been granted lawful permanent residency in the United States.

The list includes countries already facing U.S. sanctions, but some names were unexpected. For instance, Bhutan appeared in the red category despite being a small Buddhist and Hindu nation situated between China and India, neither of which were included in any draft lists. Russia was also placed in the red category, which is a surprise given the Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to restore relations with the Kremlin. A draft "yellow" list includes 22 countries with 60 days to address identified concerns. This list features Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, São Tomé and Príncipe, Vanuatu, and Zimbabwe.

During Trump’s first term, the courts prevented the government from implementing the first two versions of his travel ban. After taking office in 2021, former U.S. President Joe Biden revoked Trump’s travel bans, describing them as "a stain on our national conscience" and "inconsistent with our long history of welcoming people of all faiths and no faith at all."

In a January order, Trump stated that his administration would reinstate the bans to protect American citizens "from aliens who intend to commit terrorist attacks, threaten our national security, espouse hateful ideology or otherwise exploit the immigration laws for malevolent purposes."