US Reopening: Here’s What Travelers Need to Know

• Foreign nationals arriving from countries that have been subject to bans will soon be allowed under the policy that applies to all international travelers.
• The White House said Friday that the US will reopen to fully vaccinated foreign visitors.

Ekohotblog reports that the new foreign travel restrictions of the United States are only a few weeks away from taking effect.

The White House said Friday that the US will reopen to fully vaccinated foreign visitors coming by air and land on November 8.

 

While certain specifics have to be worked out, the firm date comes as a comfort to many would-be travelers who have been in limbo since plans to introduce a new international air travel system in “early November” were revealed on September 20.

This week, similar plans were announced to open US borders with Canada and Mexico to vaccinated visitors for tourism and other nonessential travel. The November 8 date applies to both land and air travel.

Here’s everything we know so far about what the new policies will mean for travelers:

Who can travel?

The regulations allow fully vaccinated foreign nationals to enter the US, eliminating a hodgepodge of prohibitions and limitations in effect since the pandemic’s inception.

This implies that foreign nationals traveling from countries subject to prohibitions – China, Iran, the Schengen region of Europe, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, Brazil, South Africa, and India – will soon be admitted under the policy that applies to all international visitors.

The vaccine mandate takes effect on November 8th.

Which vaccines are accepted?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States has verified that all FDA-approved and authorized vaccinations, as well as vaccines with a WHO Emergency Use Listing (EUL), would be permitted for entrance into the country.

This implies that the AstraZeneca vaccine, which is currently used in Canada and Europe, will be allowed. The Russian Sputnik V vaccine has not been authorized by the WHO or the FDA.
The CDC considers people “completely vaccinated” two weeks after the second dosage of a two-dose series, or two weeks after a single-dose vaccination.

What about unvaccinated Americans?

Unvaccinated Americans can still enter the United States but will face more stringent testing requirements for air travel.

They will be “subject to stricter testing requirements,” including a test within one day of their flight’s departure for the United States and an additional test when they return, Jeff Zients, the White House Covid-19 response coordinator, said when he announced the new international air travel rules on September 20.

The announcement about Mexico and Canada land borders on October 12 did not specifically address unvaccinated Americans, but the vaccination requirement is directed at “inbound foreign national travelers.”

What about unvaccinated children?

While there has been little mention of children in the announcements of the new foreign travel system, the Department of Homeland Security informed CNN that the vaccine requirement will not apply to children who are not eligible.

On September 20, White House press secretary Jen Psaki stated that the stricter air travel regulations specified for unvaccinated Americans “at this point, would clearly apply to children as well.”

It is unclear whether entrance standards for foreign national and American children will be the same. CNN has asked for clarity on children’s travel rules.

What about mixed-dose vaccinations?

The CDC on Friday updated its definition of “fully vaccinated,” confirming that mixed-dose vaccinations will be accepted.

Individuals are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receipt of the last dose of “any combination of two doses of an FDA approved/authorized or WHO emergency use listed COVID-19 two-dose series,” the guidance reads.

Is testing required?

Fully vaccinated air travelers are still required to test negative for Covid-19 within three days of their flight’s departure for the United States, in line with the current testing rule.
As mentioned above, unvaccinated American citizens will be required to take a Covid-19 test within one of day of their departing flight and again after arrival.
There is no testing requirement at land borders.

What kind of documentation is required?

A White House official said Friday that further information on what constitutes acceptable evidence of immunization will be released soon.
Vaccinated people crossing land borders for non-essential reasons should “be prepared to attest to vaccination status and show proof of vaccination to a CBP (Customs and Border Protection) officer upon request,” according to the official.

Another senior administration source stated on Tuesday that agencies are collaborating closely with the CDC on both land and air needs and that a decision on what the required documentation looks like should be made in the “coming days.”

Airlines already have systems in place to collect the testing information required of air travelers because all air travelers entering the US are already required to present a negative test result.
The White House official said that more operational details related to international travel will come “well in advance of November 8 to enable preparation for a smooth transition to the new system.”

Who can no longer get into the United States?

Unvaccinated foreign nationals are mainly barred from entering the United States under the new international travel system.

Unvaccinated passengers from countries not subject to travel prohibitions who are now permitted to fly into the United States (for example, Mexico and Canada) will be denied entrance as of November 8.

A White House official told CNN that more information on “extremely limited exceptions” to the restrictions will be issued ahead of the commencement of the overseas travel ban.

At land crossings, the vaccine mandate, which takes effect on November 8, applies to non-essential travel like as tourism and visits to friends and relatives.

Individuals traveling for essential reasons, including truck drivers and students, will still be allowed across borders until early January, whether they’re vaccinated or not.
In early January, a vaccination requirement will go into effect for all foreign nationals crossing the borders by land or ferry.