On September 20, 2021, the Biden Administration announced that it will rescind the COVID-19 travel restrictions banning most travel from Europe, Brazil, India, China, Iran, and South Africa. In its place, the Administration will impose new COVID-19 prevention protocols on all international air travelers, including those coming from countries not previously impacted by the COVID-19 travel bans.
While many details regarding the new protocols are still unknown, the White House has shared some details with the public:
- Beginning in early November, foreign nationals traveling to the United States must be fully vaccinated, show proof of vaccination prior to boarding, and present a negative COVID-19 test taken within three days of boarding.
- While U.S. citizens will not need to be fully vaccinated, they will need to present a negative COVID-19 test taken within one day of travel and provide proof of having purchased a viral test to be taken after arrival in the United States.
- Airlines will be required to collect information for every passenger coming to the United States for contact tracing purpose.
- These protocols will not apply to land border crossings.
- Children will not be required to be vaccinated.
- There will be very limited exceptions for humanitarian travel where passengers overseas cannot receive the vaccine in a timely matter. Those passengers will be required to be vaccinated upon arrival.