Travel Ban Lifted! Here’s Everything You Need to Know

| Apr 18, 2022 | Firm News

On Monday, November 8th, the United States reopened its borders and lifted a pandemic travel ban that saw most visitors banned from entering the country from 30+ countries, for over 19 months.

There are new rules in place which involve international visitors providing proof of vaccination and a negative COVID test. There are various exceptions for children and those travelling from countries with low vaccine availability.

Proof of Vaccination: 

  • Non-citizens entering the U.S. will need to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19. This may be verified before your flight departs and upon entry to the States.
  • The vaccine series must have been completed at least 2 weeks prior to departure.
  • Proof may be digitized or in paper format.
  • Only vaccines approved by the FDA or the WHO are accepted: Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Covishield, Sinopharm, Sinovac.
  • U.S. citizens are not required to present proof of vaccination before departure. However, if they do not, they will have to show proof of a negative Covid test taken within one day of departure (see below).

COVID Test: 

  • All vaccinated travelers must have proof of a negative COVID test taken no more than 3 days before departure.
  • Non-vaccinated travelers must have proof of a negative COVID test taken no more than 1 day before departure.
  • Both rapid antigen and PCR test results are accepted.
  • The above applies to both citizens and non-citizens alike.

Children and Other Exemptions:

  • Travelers under 18 do not need to show proof of vaccination.
  • Those over 2 years old must show proof of a negative COVID test taken no more than 3 days before departure.
  • If they are traveling unaccompanied they must show proof of a test taken within one day.
  • Travelers from a list of 50 countries with low vaccine availability will not need to show proof of vaccine.
  • Other exceptions include those with certain medical conditions and those visiting the U.S. for humanitarian reasons verified by the State Department.

Contact Tracing:

  • The CDC requires that airlines collect phone numbers, email addresses, and physical addresses from all travelers in case they need to be contacted while in the United States.

For full details, please visit the CDC website. Always check with your carrier for confirmation before traveling.

Traveling to the U.S. on a temporary basis? Check out our Non-Immigrant Visa page for help with your visa application.

© Margaret W. Wong & Associates, LLC 2021. The above text is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice.