Update: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced a list of vaccines that will permit entry into the US in November. The following vaccines have been approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA):
- Johnson & Johnson
- Moderna
- Oxford-AstraZeneca/Covishield
- Pfizer/BioNTech
- Sinopharm
- Sinovac
At this time, the Biden administration has not provided other specifics, including the exact effective date of the new policy and any possible exemptions from the vaccination requirement.
This article will be updated when more information becomes available.
Key Points
- Fully vaccinated travelers from all countries may enter the US starting in November
- All travelers must abide by specific requirements to enter the country, including a mask mandate
- Proof of negative COVID-19 test results is still required for unvaccinated travelers
- The Biden administration has not yet provided details on when the current travel restrictions will end
- The new travel rules will ease restrictions on existing travel bans for the UK, South Africa, Brazil, China, and other countries
Overview
The Biden administration has announced that fully vaccinated travelers may enter the US starting in November regardless of origin.
What are the Updates?
The administration has not yet announced a date for when the existing travel restrictions will end. However, the government has posted requirements for entry.
Prospective travelers must provide:
- Proof of full vaccination from a CDC-approved vaccine
- Negative COVID-19 test results, taken within three days of travel
- Masks are required when traveling
- Travelers must provide a phone number and email address for contact tracing
Although they are subject to specific requirements, fully vaccinated travelers are exempt from quarantine requirements upon arrival. However, unvaccinated US travelers who are traveling outside of the country must provide a negative COVID-19 test with results taken one day before they return to the US. They must also produce negative COVID-19 test results after arriving in the US.
Looking Ahead
Starting in November, the new travel requirements will end COVID-related US travel restrictions the government implemented over the past 18 months. These restrictions have barred or significantly restricted entry into the US for individuals without green cards or US citizenship. Additionally, in November, the new travel protocols will ease long-standing travel restrictions for individuals who have traveled recently to Brazil, China, India, Iran, Ireland, the UK, the Schengen area, or South Africa in the past 14 days.
