US lifts travel restrictions at land and ferry border crossings: what you need to know

On October 29, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that as of November 8, foreign travelers who are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 will be permitted to enter the United States for essential and non-essential travel through a land border or arrive by passenger ferry.

Those engaged in essential travel, including lawful trade, emergency response, and public health purposes, will not be required to be vaccinated at this time. 

However, as of January 22, 2022 (not confirmed), all foreign travelers crossing US land borders or ferry terminals – whether for essential or non-essential reasons – must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and provide related proof of vaccination. 

Requirements

As set out in a DHS fact sheet, when arriving at a US land port of entry or ferry terminal, foreign travelers, including Canadians, should be prepared to:

• Provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination, as outlined on the website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); and
• Verbally attest to their reason for travel and COVID-19 vaccination status during a border inspection.

Land border travel will mirror the guidelines set out for air travel when it comes to vaccines and proof of vaccination. 

Acceptable vaccines

Acceptable vaccines are those approved or authorized by the Food and Drug Administration or World Health Organization, which currently includes the following vaccines: 

• Janssen/Johnson & Johnson (single dose)
• Pfizer-BioNTech 
• Moderna
• AstraZeneca
• Covishield
• BIBP/Sinopharm
• Sinovac

What does fully vaccinated mean?

“Fully vaccinated” means it has been two weeks since you received the second dose of a multi-dose vaccine or the first dose of a single dose vaccine. Receiving doses from any two different approved vaccines administered 17 days apart is acceptable. For example, if you received one dose of Pfizer and one dose of AstraZeneca, administered at least 17 days apart, you will be considered fully vaccinated.

A full 14 days must have passed since the day of your last dose of your COVID-19 vaccine series. For example, if you received your second dose of Pfizer on November 1, you will be considered fully vaccinated as of November 15.

What proof of vaccination is required?

Both US citizens and foreign nationals who are fully vaccinated should travel with proof of their vaccination status to provide to their airlines prior to departure to the United States.  That proof of vaccination should be a paper or digital record issued by an official source and should include the traveler’s name and date of birth, as well as the vaccine product and date(s) of administration for all doses the traveler received.

Who does not have to be vaccinated to enter the United States? 

The following travelers do not have to be vaccinated to enter the US at a land or ferry border crossing:

• US citizens 
• Lawful permanent residents (green card holders)
• Children under the age of 18 
• Individuals travelling for essential purposes:
  • Individuals traveling for medical purposes (example: to receive medical treatment in the United States);
  • Individuals traveling to attend educational institutions;
  • Individuals traveling to work in the United States (e.g., individuals working in the farming or agriculture industry; likewise travel by professional athletes is considered essential);
  • Individuals traveling for emergency response and public health purposes (e.g., government officials or emergency responders entering the United States to support federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial government efforts to respond to COVID-19 or other emergencies);
  • Individuals engaged in lawful cross-border trade (example: truck drivers supporting the movement of cargo between the United States and Canada);
  • Individuals engaged in official government travel or diplomatic travel;
  • Members of the US Armed Forces, and the spouses and children of members of the US Armed Forces, returning to the United States and;
  • Individuals engaged in military-related travel or operations;
  • Members of federally recognized tribes, whose reservations span the United States-Canada border, are also considered essential, when traveling from one part of a reservation to another

Note:  Individuals engaged in essential travel will not be required to be vaccinated for COVID-19 at this time. Starting in January 2022, however, all inbound travelers seeking to enter the United States via land ports of entry or ferry terminals – whether for essential or non-essential reasons – must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and provide related proof of vaccination.

Is a negative test required to enter the US by car or ferry? 

No – there is no COVID-19 testing requirement for travelers at land borders or ferry terminals.