Amid heightening concerns about the spread of coronavirus, the Trump administration announced a temporary ban impacting certain travelers who visited China within the two-week period prior to their entry into the U.S.  The ban became effective on February 2nd at 5:00 p.m. EST but exempts several categories of travelers, including U.S. citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents.

Although not banned from the country, all U.S. citizens who visited China in the two-week period prior to their re-entry into the U.S. face heightened scrutiny. Citizens who entered the Hubei Province will face a mandatory 14-day quarantine upon re-entry; those who traveled more generally to mainland China will undergo monitoring at CBP ports of entry and may require two weeks of “self-monitored” quarantine.

In response to the coronavirus crisis, the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou cancelled all immigrant visa appointments this week and has not indicated when services will resume.

The full text of the ban, including the exempted categories of travelers, is available here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/proclamation-suspension-entry-immigrants-nonimmigrants-persons-pose-risk-transmitting-2019-novel-coronavirus/