COVID-19 Testing Requirements for International Air Travelers Expected to End This Weekend

Just in time for the summer holiday travel season, the Biden administration is set to announce today an end to the COVID-19 testing requirement for air travelers to the United States. As of midnight this Sunday, June 12th, 2022, the United States will no longer require proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 24 hours of entering the country for all air travelers.

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Regional 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.

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COVID-19 Testing Requirements for International Travel

In response to the Omicron variant of COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control (“CDC”) has amended its testing requirements for air passengers traveling to the US from international destinations. The vaccination requirements remain in place with the only change being when a person must be tested before they arrive in the US by plane.

Beginning December 6, 2021, all inbound international airline passengers, including US Citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents, ages two and older will be required to submit a negative COVID test taken within one day of travel to the United States, in order to board their flight.

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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.

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The 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.

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US 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.

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COVID-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.

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President Biden Reinforces the UK and European Travel Restrictions (and Adds South Africa)

On January 25, 2021, President Joseph Biden issued a proclamation to reinstate the Brazil, United Kingdom, Ireland, and Schengen Area travel restrictions that were set to be rescinded on January 26, 2021. Additionally, President Biden added South Africa as a country from which travel to the US is restricted because of the COVID-19 variant in that country, while Iran (Proclamation 9992) and China (Proclamation 9984) remain from previous proclamations.

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Removal of Certain Country Related Travel Restrictions and Requirement to Show Negative COVID-19 Test for All International Air Passengers Effective January 26, 2021

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an order last week, effective January 26, 2021, requiring proof of a negative COVID-19 test or documentation of having recovered from COVID-19 for all international air passengers arriving from a foreign country to the US. Under this order, nearly all travelers aged two or older including US citizens must show a negative viral test within three days of departure or documentation of recovery from COVID-19. The CDC will consider waivers of testing requirements for passengers coming from countries with little or no testing capacity, including certain places in the Caribbean.

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