New COVID-19 travel requirements: what you need to know before flying to the US

Air travel to the United States

On October 25, President Biden issued A Proclamation on Advancing the Safe Resumption of Global Travel During the COVID-19 Pandemic (the Proclamation), revoking the COVID-19 travel bans that restricted the entry of nonimmigrants travelling from China, Brazil, India, Iran, South Africa, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and  the Schengen Area.  

The new Proclamation, effective on November 8, states that foreign nationals flying to the United States must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and provide proof of vaccination and proof of a negative COVID-19 test prior to boarding the plane to the US, with limited exceptions.

The Proclamation only applies to foreign nationals; US citizens and permanent residents do not have to provide proof of vaccination to fly home from abroad. They do, however, have to have a negative COVID-19 test result.

Entry to the United States through land or ferry ports of entry

In a separate but related announcement, restrictions on non-essential travel through land ports of entry on the Canadian and Mexican borders were lifted on November 8 for vaccinated foreign travelers. Please refer here for an update on the lifting of cross-border travel restrictions.  

Acceptable vaccines

Proof of the following vaccines is acceptable for entry to the United States by air or land:

• 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.

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

The following travelers do not have to be vaccinated to board a flight to the United States:

• US citizens and nationals
• Lawful permanent residents (green card holders)
• Children under the age of 18
• Participants in CDC-approved COVID-19 vaccine trials
• Persons with medical contraindications to receiving a COVID-19 vaccine
  • Anyone claiming this exemption must carry a signed letter from a licensed physician documenting a medical contraindication. The letter must be signed and dated on official letterhead containing the name, address and phone number of the licensed physician who signed the letter, the name of the COVID-19 vaccine product and the medical contraindication
• Persons granted humanitarian or emergency exception by the director of the CDC
  • The Proclamation does not limit the ability of individuals to apply for asylum, refugee status, withholding of removal or protection under the Convention Against Torture
• Persons with valid nonimmigrant visas (excluding B-1 [business] or B-2 [tourism] visas) who are citizens of a country with limited COVID-19 vaccine availability, i.e., countries where less than 10% of the population is vaccinated.
  • As of October 25, 2021, 50 countries have less than 10% vaccination coverage (with any vaccine). CDC will update this list every 90 days
• Members of the US armed forces and their spouses and children (under 18 years of age)
• Persons whose entry would be in the national interest, as determined by the secretaries of state, transportation, or Homeland Security or their designees
• Diplomats or persons on official government travel (A-1, A-2, C-3, E-1 (TECRO or TECO), G-1, G-2, G-3, G-4, NATO-1 through NATO-4, NATO 6)
• Persons who have been invited to the United Nations or who are traveling pursuant to US legal obligation
• Airline crew members 
• Sea crew members traveling pursuant to a C-1 and D nonimmigrant visa

Please note:

• There are no exceptions to the vaccine requirement for religious reasons or moral convictions under the Proclamation and CDC’s Technical Instructions.
• There are also no specific exceptions for individuals who have received a vaccine authorized by their country, which has not yet been approved or authorized by the FDA and WHO, except for diplomats.

Is a negative test required?

Yes – all travelers over the age of two, vaccinated or not, must have a negative viral COVID-19 (NAAT or antigen) test prior to boarding a flight to the United States.

If you are fully vaccinated, you must show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than three days prior to travel.  If you are not fully vaccinated, you must show a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than one day prior to travel.  If you have recovered from COVID-19 in  the past 90 days, you must show proof of recovery and provide a letter from a licensed healthcare provider or health official.

Do I have to quarantine or vaccinate in the US?

If you are an unvaccinated foreign national who is allowed to fly to the US pursuant to a vaccination exemption set out above, you will be required to attest that:

• You will be tested 3-5 days after arrival in the United States, unless you have documentation of having recovered from COVID-19 within the past 90 days;
• You will self-quarantine for a full seven days, even if the test result to the post-arrival test is negative, unless you have documentation of having recovered from COVID-19 within the past 90 days; and
• You will self-isolate if the post-arrival test is positive or if you develop COVID-19 symptoms.

If you also plan to be in the United States for longer than 60 days, you will also be required to attest that, unless you are eligible for an exemption:

• you agree to be vaccinated against COVID-19, and
• you have arranged for vaccination within 60 days of arriving in the United States.

Exemptions to the 60-day vaccination requirement:

• Persons whose intended stay is sufficiently brief
• Children whose vaccination would be inappropriate given their age
• Persons with medical contraindications to receiving a COVID-19 vaccine
• Participants in CDC-approved COVID-19 vaccine trials
• Diplomats, provided they have previously received a COVID-19 vaccine authorized or approved by their country of nationality
• It is determined that the COVID-19 vaccine is not warranted for the individual in question

Contact tracing

CDC has issued a new contact tracing order that requires airlines to collect information from all passengers and crew members flying into or transiting through the United States from a foreign last point of departure.

Termination

The Proclamation will remain in effect until terminated by the President.