Moving to the USA from Haiti: Travel Ban, Visas and Options in 2026

Haiti is on the full restriction list of Proclamation 10998, which took effect on January 1, 2026 and has no end date. Haiti was already fully restricted under the earlier June 2025 proclamation. For Haitian nationals this means:

• Immigrant visas (family and employment green cards processed abroad) are suspended.
• Nonimmigrant visas (visitor, student, work, and exchange visas) are suspended.
• USCIS is holding final decisions on many pending applications from nationals of travel-ban countries for extra review.

The exceptions are narrow. They include green card holders, dual nationals traveling on a passport of a country that is not on the list, certain diplomatic and international organization visas, athletes and coaches traveling for major events such as the World Cup or Olympics, and some special immigrant visas for US government employees. Visas issued before the ban took effect were not revoked. There is no general exception for spouses or children of US citizens. Case-by-case national interest exceptions exist but are rare.

Other 2026 changes also apply: Since August 25, 2026, the State Department has paused immigrant visa interviews at US embassies and consulates worldwide while consular officers are trained on public charge reviews. Scheduled interviews were moved to later dates, and no restart date has been announced as of September 2026. Visitor, student, and temporary work visas are not part of this pause. Details: immigrant visa pause. Haiti was also on the January 2026 list of 75 countries with paused immigrant visas, which a court vacated on August 21, 2026 (the government has appealed).

With the ban in force, very few new routes are open to people who hold only Haitian nationality. Options that may still exist:

• Dual nationals. If you also hold citizenship of a country that is not on the ban list (for example Canada, France, or the Dominican Republic), you can apply using that passport, as long as you qualify for the visa.
• Green card holders returning to the US are not blocked by the ban.
• Family petitions. US citizens and green card holders can still file I-130 petitions for Haitian relatives to secure a place in line (a priority date), even though the visa itself cannot be issued while the ban lasts. See spouse of a US citizen and the Visa Bulletin.
• Protection. Refugee admissions are very limited in fiscal year 2026 (see refugee cap 2026). People inside the US who fear return to Haiti should get advice about asylum from a licensed immigration lawyer or accredited representative. See refugee and asylee green cards.

Because every case depends on its facts, talk to a licensed US immigration lawyer before paying for any application. Be very careful of "notarios" and agents who promise visas despite the ban; see notario fraud.

For an overview of every route, see our guide to US immigration and how US immigration works.

TPS. The US government has terminated Temporary Protected Status for Haiti. Haitians who held TPS should check the latest dates and any court orders on the USCIS TPS page and see our TPS terminations page. A lawyer can check whether you qualify for another status, such as a family green card or asylum.

CHNV parole. The parole program for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans (CHNV) has ended, and no new applications are accepted. See CHNV parole ended.

Not under normal rules while the ban lasts. Haiti is not in the Visa Waiver Program, and B-2 visitor visas for Haitian nationals are suspended under Proclamation 10998 unless an exception applies. Visas issued before the ban were not revoked, but entry is still decided by US Customs and Border Protection at the airport. Check with the embassy before you travel.

Family immigration is the main long-term route for Haitians, and it will likely remain so if the ban is lifted. Haitians use rest-of-world dates in the Visa Bulletin, but sibling (F4) and married-child (F3) cases take many years. Filing a petition now protects your place in line.

Diversity Visa. Haitian natives were not eligible for DV-2026 because of high immigration numbers. The Diversity Visa (DV) lottery is paused: visa issuance stopped on December 23, 2025, and DV-2027 registration never opened. See DV lottery paused.

The State Department says routine visa operations at the US Embassy in Port-au-Prince are suspended. Since November 1, 2025, immigrant visas for Haitian nationals are processed at the US Embassy in Nassau, Bahamas. Nonimmigrant visa applicants are directed to Nassau or to a US embassy in another country where they legally live. Under the ban, most of these applications cannot be approved unless an exception applies. Check the Port-au-Prince embassy's website for current instructions.

If you qualify for an exception or are preparing a future case, the State Department's Haiti page lists:

• Birth certificate: the Extrait de Naissance from the National Archives (Archives Nationales d'Haiti). From abroad, you can request it through a Haitian embassy or consulate.
• Police certificate: the Certificat de Police from the Direction Centrale de la Police Judiciaire (DCPJ), issued only in Haiti. The State Department says it is not required for the initial immigrant visa application and is requested at the interview if needed.

Offices in Haiti may close at times because of insecurity or strikes, so start early.

The largest Haitian communities are in South Florida (Little Haiti in Miami, North Miami, and the Fort Lauderdale area) and New York City (Flatbush and Canarsie in Brooklyn, and southeast Queens). There are also large communities in the Boston area of Massachusetts (Mattapan and Dorchester), northern New Jersey, and Springfield, Ohio. Haitian community organizations and churches often offer free legal clinics.