Does the USA have an approach ban?

The FAA Instrument Flying Handbook says:

Like Part 135 operators, Part 121 operators are restricted from proceeding past the FAF of an instrument approach unless the appropriate IFR landing minimums exist for the procedure. In addition, descent below the minimum descent altitude (MDA), decision altitude (DA), or decision height (DH) is governed, with one exception, by the same rules that apply to Part 91 operators. The exception is that during Part 121 and 135 operations, the airplane is also required to land within the touchdown zone (TDZ).

And the FARs say:

§ 91.175 Takeoff and landing under IFR.

(a)Instrument approaches to civil airports. Unless otherwise authorized by the FAA, when it is necessary to use an instrument approach to a civil airport, each person operating an aircraft must use a standard instrument approach procedure prescribed in part 97 of this chapter for that airport. This paragraph does not apply to United States military aircraft.

(b)Authorized DA/DH or MDA. For the purpose of this section, when the approach procedure being used provides for and requires the use of a DA/DH or MDA, the authorized DA/DH or MDA is the highest of the following:

(1) The DA/DH or MDA prescribed by the approach procedure.

(2) The DA/DH or MDA prescribed for the pilot in command.

(3) The DA/DH or MDA appropriate for the aircraft equipment available and used during the approach.

(c) Operation below DA/ DH or MDA. Except as provided in paragraph (l) of this section, where a DA/DH or MDA is applicable, no pilot may operate an aircraft, except a military aircraft of the United States, below the authorized MDA or continue an approach below the authorized DA/DH unless -

(1) The aircraft is continuously in a position from which a descent to a landing on the intended runway can be made at a normal rate of descent using normal maneuvers, and for operations conducted under part 121 or part 135 unless that descent rate will allow touchdown to occur within the touchdown zone of the runway of intended landing;

(2) The flight visibility is not less than the visibility prescribed in the standard instrument approach being used; and

(3) Except for a Category II or Category III approach where any necessary visual reference requirements are specified by the Administrator, at least one of the following visual references for the intended runway is distinctly visible and identifiable to the pilot:

(i) The approach light system, except that the pilot may not descend below 100 feet above the touchdown zone elevation using the approach lights as a reference unless the red terminating bars or the red side row bars are also distinctly visible and identifiable.

(ii) The threshold.

(iii) The threshold markings.

(iv) The threshold lights.

(v) The runway end identifier lights.

(vi) The visual approach slope indicator.

(vii) The touchdown zone or touchdown zone markings.

(viii) The touchdown zone lights.

(ix) The runway or runway markings.

(x) The runway lights.

(d) Landing. No pilot operating an aircraft, except a military aircraft of the United States, may land that aircraft when -

(1) For operations conducted under paragraph (l) of this section, the requirements of (l)(4) of this section are not met; or

(2) For all other part 91 operations and parts 121, 125, 129, and 135 operations, the flight visibility is less than the visibility prescribed in the standard instrument approach procedure being used.

So, no approach ban for private (Part 91) operators.

There is no approach ban for Part-91 operations. Part-121 and 135 operators have an approach ban, e.g.

14 CFR 135.122
(a) Except to the extent permitted by paragraph (b) of this section, no pilot may begin an instrument approach procedure to an airport unless—
(1) That airport has a weather reporting facility operated by the U.S. National Weather Service, a source approved by U.S. National Weather Service, or a source approved by the Administrator; and
(2) The latest weather report issued by that weather reporting facility indicates that weather conditions are at or above the authorized IFR landing minimums for that airport.

The FAA visual reference requirements, even in Part-91, are more demanding and specific than the EASA rules:

14 CFR 91.175(c)(3) allows the approach lights to be used to permit descent below DH, but
(i) … the pilot may not descend below 100 feet above the touchdown zone elevation using the approach lights as a reference unless the red terminating bars or the red side row bars are also distinctly visible and identifiable.

The EASA rule (e.g. NCO.OP.205) simply says:
(e) The approach may be continued below DA/H or MDA/H and the landing may be completed provided that the visual reference adequate for the type of approach operation and for the intended runway is established at the DA/H or MDA/H and is maintained.

Peter,

What do you mean by an approach ban? Part 91 operations allow the pilot to commence an approach regardless of the current reported visibility. Pilots alre limited to the flight visibility at the DA/MDA, not the reported visibility even if it is based on RVR measurements. They may use the approach lights as the sole cue to continue the approach below the DA/MDA down to 100 feet above the TDZE without having any other visual cues. However, to descend below 100 above the TDZE requires either an ALS-I or ALS-II lighting system along with the side row red terminating bars or the red terminating bars being clearly visible or one of the other visual cues is required to be in sight. If one of these conditions don’t exist, the pilot must execute a missed approach. When visibility is actually at minimums, for example 1/2 mile, at a 200 foot DH, the aircraft is still 0.7 mile from the threshold, so the only way to complete the approach and landing is to use the approach lights until the aircraft is closer and within the 1/2 mile so the pilot can see the runway. That is why the normal visibility penalty for an approach light system being inop or simply not installed (as is the case for many LPV) is to add 1/4 SM so at the DA the runway threshold should be in sight if the flight visibility is 0.75 SM.

OK, there is no equivalent limitation in US regulations for part 91 operators. The approach may be flown to the DA regardless of reported ground visibility and if the visual cues are available along with the charted flight visibility, then the approach may continue to touchdown. The 100 foot limit above the TDZE is a limit only when solely using the approach lights as the visual cue, with the exception case where the red terminating bars or side row bars are also visible as these are essentially identifying the threshold. Most ILS don’t use ALS-I or II approach light systems which is normally reserved for the major airports served by the airlines. Most ILS runways have MALSR approach light systems that don’t have red terminating bars or side row bars.

? Didn’t bookworm point out that the US have such a ban, but only for commercial operators ?

I don’t think it necessarily includes the cloudbase, or even cloud ceiling.