Travel Ban Affects International Adoption from 39 Countries UPDATED

“The Trump administration’s expanded travel ban went into effect Thursday, banning visas that allowed adoption from 39 countries.

Under the proclamation signed by President Donald Trump on December 16, four adoption visas were suspended, per the State Department, affecting countries including Nigeria, Haiti and Venezuela.”

“Ending adoption visas for the affected countries is a newly introduced element of the updated ban.”

“As of Thursday morning [January 1, 2026], adoption-specific IR-3, IR-4, IH-3 and IH-4 visas cannot be issued for people from all affected countries, regardless of whether there is a full or partial travel ban in place.”

“The department also said that immediate family immigrant visas—IR-1/CR-1, IR-2/CR-2 and IR-5—were suspended.”

“The State Department has said that exemptions may be possible, if the secretary of state (in this case Marco Rubio) and/or secretary of homeland security (Kristi Noem) find that granting a visa may be in the national interest.”

New Order Makes It Harder for Americans To Adopt Children
[Newsweek 1/1/26 by Dan Gooding]

 

REFORM Puzzle Piece

UPDATE:“International adoptions that were halted for about 300 U.S. families can resume on a case-by-case approval basis after the U.S. State Department granted a National Interest Exception impacting immigrant adoptees from more than 70 countries.

But the exception is only an incremental improvement that still “leaves a window for the possibility of visa applications to be denied,” Karla Thrasher, vice president of international ministries for Lifeline Children’s Services, told Baptist Press. An exception is not as helpful as an exemption.

“While we see this as a step in the right direction to provide an exception under the National Interest Exception, our hope is that the White House will consider just the overall exemption,” Thrasher said, “so as to clear up any questions, any doubts, that children would be able to receive immigrant visas. Our plan is to continue to advocate for the exemption.”

“We don’t really have a lot of information as to why they would deny visa applications, what the process would look like from there,” Thrasher said. “We sent a list of questions back to the Department of State, just asking for clarification. We’re trying to get that information today.”

The U.S. State Department announced the exception Jan. 28 to immigrant travel visa bans in effect since Jan. 1 and Jan. 21, emphasizing administration support for international adoptions.

“In countries where the issuance of immigrant visas is currently limited or paused, children being adopted by U.S. citizens may qualify for an exception under the National Interest Exception” the advisory states.

“Consular posts have been instructed that intercountry adoptions are eligible for National Interest Exceptions under the current presidential proclamation and should be processed on a priority, case-by-case basis. Prospective adoptive families should continue the normal adoption process, including submitting visa applications and attending consular interviews.”

International adoptions resume on case-by-case approval basis under new exception
[Baptist Press 1/29/26 by Diane Chandler]