Travelling as a GC holder if country of origin is on the banned list

[devid456 1]

@appleblossom @OldUser @Jeanne Adil 

Hi all,

I am a GC Holder since Dec 2021. I had booked a trip to visit my country of origin (Nigeria) in Feb 2026.

I have been reading previous reports about this administration denying entry to USA GC holders in previous instances (https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/nh-green-card-holder-denied-reentry-canada-trump-rcna218345, https://nepyork.com/2025/07/27/cbp-found-over-1400-green-card-holders-inadmissible-at-u-s-ports-of-entry-in-five-months-during-the-trump-administration/, https://www.npr.org/2025/04/01/nx-s1-5339698/green-card-holders-detained-border-crackdown) 

I had wanted to travel to see my wife as we are processing here I-130 to collect more evidences of a relationship for the NVC stage (pictures, receipts etc). My PD date is May 2025. I also just wanted to see her. 

Since Nigeria is one of the banned countries from the Dec 17, 2025 proclamation (https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/12/restricting-and-limiting-the-entry-of-foreign-nationals-to-protect-the-security-of-the-united-states/, https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/12/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-further-restricts-and-limits-the-entry-of-foreign-nationals-to-protect-the-security-of-the-united-states/), I have two questions:

(a) Would it be wise to still travel in Feb 2026 or move it to Dec 2026 or to just wait until I get my citizenship in 2027
(b) If i wait until i get my citizenship in 2027 (Processing time for Norfolk VA is 8.5 months according to https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/), what can I do in the time to gather more materials to appropriately tackle any (knock on wood0 RFEs?

Thanks.

[appleblossom 5,585]

4 minutes ago, devid456 said:

@appleblossom @OldUser @Jeanne Adil 

Hi all,

I am a GC Holder since Dec 2021. I had booked a trip to visit my country of origin (Nigeria) in Feb 2026.

I have been reading previous reports about this administration denying entry to USA GC holders in previous instances (https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/nh-green-card-holder-denied-reentry-canada-trump-rcna218345, https://nepyork.com/2025/07/27/cbp-found-over-1400-green-card-holders-inadmissible-at-u-s-ports-of-entry-in-five-months-during-the-trump-administration/, https://www.npr.org/2025/04/01/nx-s1-5339698/green-card-holders-detained-border-crackdown) 

I had wanted to travel to see my wife as we are processing here I-130 to collect more evidences of a relationship for the NVC stage (pictures, receipts etc). My PD date is May 2025. I also just wanted to see her. 

Since Nigeria is one of the banned countries from the Dec 17, 2025 proclamation (https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/12/restricting-and-limiting-the-entry-of-foreign-nationals-to-protect-the-security-of-the-united-states/, https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/12/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-further-restricts-and-limits-the-entry-of-foreign-nationals-to-protect-the-security-of-the-united-states/), I have two questions:

(a) Would it be wise to still travel in Feb 2026 or move it to Dec 2026 or to just wait until I get my citizenship in 2027
(b) If i wait until i get my citizenship in 2027 (Processing time for Norfolk VA is 8.5 months according to https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/), what can I do in the time to gather more materials to appropriately tackle any (knock on wood0 RFEs?

Thanks.

 

Should be no issue for you travelling as a GC holder, as long as you don't have any issues that might jeopardise that status (convictions, no tax filings, too much time out of the country, etc). But is your wife also from Nigeria? If so, she can't get a visa for now, it may change again by the time you come to apply but keep an eye on it. 

 

Good luck. 

Edited Monday at 05:07 PM by appleblossom

[devid456 1]

@appleblossom @OldUser @Jeanne Adil

Thanks for the quick reply. My wife is a Nigerian Citizen and does not hold either a US Passport nor US Green Card nor a B1/B2 visa.

I have two traffic tickets
(a) One in Dec 2022 for reckless driving (Had a lawyer dismiss that and paid the court fine)
(b) One in Nov 2025 for failure to yield on a left turn (Had a lawyer to help dismiss that and paid a court fine and did an 8 hour driving course. Still mad that I got that ticket)

My follow-up questions are:

(a) Could these tickets be a cause for denial of entry if I went to visit my wife in Feb 2026?

(b) From what I understood from the Dec 17,2025 proclamations, the proclamations is a ban on entry for new applicants from outside the country for the affected countries and a slowdown/pause of processing any immigration applications from inside the country for the affected countries. Is that true or my interpretation wrong? Basically, in my case, does the proclamation mean that USCIS will process and give a result on my I-130 application but the NVC will hold my application based on whether the ban still applies to me?

(c) My mum, who is a Nigerian citizen and  is not a US Green Holder nor a US Citizen, has a B1/B2 visa that was issued to her in Jan 2024. Can she come to visit me in Mar 2026 or should she postpone here  until 2027?

Thanks.

Edited Monday at 06:15 PM by devid456

[OldUser 11,161]

I cannot comment on this as I lack expertise in this area.

[appleblossom 5,585]

12 minutes ago, devid456 said:

@appleblossom @OldUser @Jeanne Adil

Thanks for the quick reply. My wife is a Nigerian Citizen and does not hold either a US Passport nor US Green Card nor a B1/B2 visa.

I have two traffic tickets
(a) One in Dec 2022 for reckless driving (Had a lawyer dismiss that and paid the court fine)
(b) One in Nov 2025 for failure to yield a left turn (Had a lawyer to help dismiss that and paid a court fine and did an 8 hour driving course)

My follow-up questions are:

(a) Could these tickets be a cause for denial of entry if I went to visit my wife in Feb 2026?

(b) From what I understood from the Dec 17,2025 proclamations, the proclamations is a ban on entry for new applicants from outside the country for the affected countries and a slowdown/pause of processing any immigration applications from inside the country for the affected countries. Is that true or my interpretation wrong? Basically, in my case, does the proclamation mean that USCIS will process and give a result on my I-130 application but the NVC will hold my application based on whether the ban still applies to me?

(c) My mum, who is a Nigerian citizen and  is not a US Green Holder nor a US Citizen, has a B1/B2 visa that was issued to her in Jan 2024. Can she come to visit me in Mar 2026 or should she postpone here  until 2027?

Thanks.

 

I think the traffic tickets should be fine, but that is just a guess.

 

Yes, the I-130 will still be processed as that isn't a visa application. Your case will proceed all the way to the point of visa issuance (interview at consulate), that's when it would be held. 

 

As she's already got a visa, she's still able to travel to the US. Just be aware that she may be scrutinised more heavily upon entry.

 

Good luck.  

Edited Monday at 06:25 PM by appleblossom

[devid456 1]

@appleblossom

Thanks for the clarification.