U.S. Government Lifts Visa Ban on Sierra Leonean Doctors, Other Foreign Physicians

The United States government has quietly reversed a policy that blocked visa processing for foreign doctors from 39 countries, including Sierra Leone, exempting physicians from a sweeping travel ban that had left many medical professionals in career uncertainty.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) updated its website late last week without formal announcement, indicating that physicians are no longer subject to the processing hold that froze decisions on visa extensions, work permits, and green cards. The Department of Homeland Security later confirmed the change, stating that “applications associated with medical physicians will continue processing”.
The reversal follows mounting pressure from the medical community after the Trump administration expanded its travel ban effective January 1, 2026, which fully suspended entry and visa issuance for nationals of 19 countries—including Sierra Leone—and imposed partial restrictions on 20 additional nations.