The United States Lifts Certain Visa Restrictions for Citizens of Turkmenistan

Under a new Presidential Proclamation signed by U.S. President Donald J. Trump on December 16, 2025, significant easing has been introduced in visa regulations related to Turkmenistan.

As stated in the official document, Turkmenistan has recently engaged productively with the United States and has demonstrated substantial progress in improving identity-management and information-sharing procedures. As a result:

The restrictions on the entry of citizens of Turkmenistan into the United States for short-term visits (B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2), education (F, M), and exchange programs (J) have been fully lifted.

Accordingly, the path has been opened for Turkmen citizens who wish to travel to the United States for business, tourism, education, and academic purposes.

At the same time, the entry of citizens of Turkmenistan into the United States under immigrant visas (permanent residence visas) remains temporarily restricted.

According to U.S. officials, this decision may be further expanded in the future as Turkmenistan continues its cooperation in the relevant areas. The new regulations will enter into force on January 1, 2026.

This decision is assessed as an important and positive development for Turkmen citizens planning to pursue education, participate in international exchange programs, or undertake short-term travel.