As of May 12, 2023, international air travelers will no longer be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination to enter the US by air. The Biden Administration will also end the vaccine requirements for Federal employees and Federal contractors, on the same day which coincides with the end of the public health emergency. The vaccine requirements have been in place since November 2021 when the US government lifted the travel bans instituted at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic to help ease the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The Biden Administration is ending the international air travel COVID vaccine requirement “at the end of the day” on May 11, 2023.
Read moreRegional COVID-19 Public Health Travel Ban for Southern Africa Instituted
Just weeks after announcing new travel policies and lifting previous extensive COVID-19 travel restrictions, President Biden signed an Executive Order banning most travelers from eight countries in southern Africa in response to the ongoing national emergency caused by the newly emergent Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus to “protect public health.” Effective November 29, 2021, noncitizens of the United States who were physically present within “the Republic of Botswana, the Kingdom of Eswatini, the Kingdom of Lesotho, the Republic of Malawi, the Republic of Mozambique, the Republic of Namibia, the Republic of South Africa, and the Republic of Zimbabwe during the 14-day period preceding their entry or attempted entry into the United States” are not eligible to be issued a U.S. visa or be admitted to the United States.
Read moreMonday was a Day for Reunions
As the US Opens for International Travel, Some Remain in Limbo
As previously reported, international travel to the United States was reopened for vaccinated visitors on Monday, November 8, 2021, as a result of President Biden’s Presidential Proclamation. Previously, tourists and visitors who were physically present in the United Kingdom, Ireland, countries in the European Schengen Area, Brazil, China, India, Iran, and South Africa during the fourteen-day period preceding their entry or attempted entry into US were subject to travel restrictions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. These restrictions, which barred entry for most non-US nationals have been officially lifted, for those who are fully vaccinated. Travel remains restricted for people who were vaccinated with non-WHO-approved vaccines, such as the Russian Sputnik V vaccine, and the Chinese CanSino vaccine.
Read moreThe White House Announces New Travel Policies Lifting COVID-19 Restrictions for Vaccinated Travelers
On October 25, 2021, President Joseph Biden issued a presidential proclamation detailing his previously announced plan to replace the current COVID-19 travel restrictions, which were issued on a country-by-country basis, with a globally consistent policy centered around vaccination and testing requirements. The new international air travel policy will be put into effect for any flights departing on or after 12:01 AM EST on Monday, November 8, 2021.
Read moreUS To Lift Travel Restrictions for Vaccinated Foreign Travelers on November 8, 2021
The White House Assistant Press Secretary Kevin Munoz announced via Twitter on October 15, 2021 that the international travel bans currently in effect will be lifted on November 8, 2021. The announcement was a much anticipated follow up to the White House’s previous statement that the US would soon be lifting COVID-19 travel bans for all vaccinated travelers.
Read moreWhite House Announces U.S. to Lift COVID-19 Travel Bans on Vaccinated Travelers
In a highly-anticipated and welcomed statement, Jeff Zients, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, announced that the United States (U.S.) will be easing the COVID-19 travel restrictions in place barring entry for most non-US nationals who were physically present in Brazil, China, Iran, Ireland, countries in the European Schengen Area, South Africa, India, and the United Kingdom during the fourteen-day period preceding their entry or attempted entry into the Unites States.
Read moreCOVID-19 Travel Restrictions to Continue
After speaking with a White House official, David Shepardson of Reuters reports that “[t]he United States will not lift any existing travel restrictions ‘at this point’ due to concerns over the highly transmissible COVID-19 Delta variant and the rising number of U.S. coronavirus cases.” According to Mr. Shepardson’s source in the White House, the decision came after a senior level White House meeting on Friday, the 23rd of July.
Read moreBiden Administration to Restrict Travel from India Effective May 4, 2021
On April 30, 2021, President Biden issued a Presidential Proclamation which imposes COVID-19-related travel restrictions on certain individuals traveling into the US from India effective Tuesday, May 4, 2021, in an effort to prevent the further spread of COVID-19. The proclamation restricts and suspends the entry into the US of nonimmigrants and noncitizens of the US who were physically present within India during the fourteen-day period preceding their entry or attempted entry into the United States.
Read morePresident Biden Signs "Proclamation on Ending Discriminatory Bans on Entry to The United States" to Revoke Trump's Muslim Travel Ban
On Wednesday, January 20, 2021, his first day in office, President Biden signed a “Proclamation on Ending Discriminatory Bans on Entry to The United States” to revoke what has been commonly referred to as the Muslim travel ban, which restricted entry into the United States from primarily Muslim and African countries. Former President Trump had faced numerous legal challenges in enacting his Muslim travel ban but the third version of the ban was upheld by the Supreme court in June 2018.
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