 🚨 Important Update: Travel Ban Expanded (December 16, 2025): Since this article was published, the U.S. government has significantly expanded the 2025 travel ban through a new presidential proclamation issued on December 16, 2025. The updated policy broadens the list of affected countries and changes how visa issuance and entry restrictions are applied starting January 1, 2026. Read our most up-to-date article here. If you are an Iranian seeking guidance on the travel ban, read our most up-to-date article for Iranians here.
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 **2025 UPDATE: With the new Trump administration, we are hearing even more cases of this law being used as a basis for extra scrutiny in cases. Therefore, if you have any military service from Iran (whether IRGC or not), it is best to consulate with an attorney to be prepared for the questions and potential delays in the process.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), also known as Sepah, was designated as a terrorist organization by President Trump in April 2019. This designation carries serious immigration repercussions for Iranian males who did their mandatory military service with IRGC or Sepah. There are some distinctions and options depending on whether you are applying for a U.S. immigrant visa or nonimmigrant visa and whether you are applying from outside the United States at an embassy abroad or whether you are applying for an immigrant benefit from within the United States, such as adjustment of status or citizenship (N-400/Naturalization). This article discusses obstacles and strategies arising from a case involving an IRGC mandatory service. Fiancé Visa vs. Marriage Visa – Which One Is Better? This Is Everything You Need to Know in 20252/3/2025  Are you a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident (green card holder) who has a girlfriend, boyfriend, fiancé, husband or wife that is abroad? If you recently got engaged, planning on getting engaged, or getting married, congratulations! You have a lot of exciting things to plan. “What is the quickest way to get my fiancé to the United States?” is probably a top question on your list. As well as questions such as “Should we get married? Is the visa for marriage better compared to fiancé visa?”
 **2025 UPDATE: THIS IS NOW OUTDATED**
A recent court ruling from the U.S. District Court provides new hope for certain visa applicants previously impacted by the travel ban (Presidential Proclamation 9645, or P.P. 9645), also known as the Muslim Ban.  President Biden stopped the Muslim Ban yesterday. I have been wanting to put into words how I feel. I am happy, most definitely. At the same time, I feel a weird sense of unease. The Ban has defined my professional life for the last four years. I wrote an article regarding the Muslim Ban that received thousands of inquiries.
 (Update December 31, 2020: President Trump extended these restrictions to March 31, 2021.)
Yesterday, June 22nd, President Trump issued a new Presidential Proclamation suspending the entry of immigrants and some nonimmigrants (there are some exceptions, explained more below). Here is what you need to know about how this travel restriction and suspension may apply to you and your family and what you can do.  (Update December 31, 2020: President Trump extended these restrictions to March 31, 2021.)
Yesterday, April 22, 2020, President Trump issued a new Presidential Proclamation stopping green card applications from abroad during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and economic downturn. Here is what you need to know about how this travel restriction and suspension may apply to you and your family and what you can do.  Short answer: Yes, but in certain situations. H-4 status is for spouses and unmarried children (child must be under 21 years old) of the principal H-1b visa holder. H-1b dependents are allowed to attend school, extend their status, and change status. However, when it comes to a work permit, H-4 dependents have to meet a higher benchmark.
 Today, December 4, 2017, the Supreme Court has allowed the third version of President Trump's travel ban to come back. Citizens of the eight countries listed (Iran, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, Libya, Chad, North Korea, and Venezuela) are NOT allowed to travel to the United States, unless they qualify for an exception. Previously, in June 2017, the Supreme Court allowed the travel ban to come back, but in a limited way. The Court stated that an immigrant from one of the banned countries was required to have a personal or professional relationship in the United States, which was defined as a relationship with a qualifying family member in the United States or a professional relationship with a U.S. company or university. But now, such a qualifying relationship does NOT matter, as the Supreme Court has now ruled that the travel ban can be implemented to the FULLEST extent.
 It is a common misconception to think that prior approval from immigration agencies will be a positive factor for new immigration applications. That is not always the case. And, in fact, immigration agencies came out with a new explicit rule this fall that prior approval will not be taken into consideration when evaluating extensions of nonimmigrant visas.
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Immigration lawyer Najmeh Mahmoudjafari, Esq. (ImmigraTrust Law) represents immigration law clients nationwide (all 50 States), globally and also in and around Orange County, including: Costa Mesa | Corona del Mar | Cypress | Fountain Valley | Garden Grove | Huntington Beach | Irvine | Los Alamitos | Los Angeles | Mission Viejo | Newport Beach | Orange | San Diego | San Francisco | Santa Ana | Stanton | Tustin | Westminster
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