United States to lift entry restrictions for vaccinees on November 8

Europe 1 with AFP 4:38 p.m., October 15, 2021

The United States will lift on November 8, for people vaccinated against Covid-19, the restrictions in place since March 2020 on international travel, the maintenance of which annoyed many of its partners, Europeans in the lead.

"The new US travel policy, which requires vaccination for foreign travelers to the United States, will come into force on November 8," the White House said on Friday in a statement specifying the date of the lifting, which had already been announced last month.

The end of a long shutdown

This new system will apply to travelers arriving by air as well as to those crossing the land borders with Canada and Mexico. Faced with the pandemic, the United States had closed its borders from March 2020 for millions of travelers coming in particular from the European Union, the United Kingdom or China, then later from India or Brazil. They also closed their land entry points to visitors from Canada and Mexico. This could have caused painful personal situations and economic damage.

For travelers arriving by air, the United States will require, in addition to proof of vaccination and a test within three days before departure, the establishment by airlines of a system for tracking contacts. 

A two-step lift for the overland route

For the land route, the White House announced this week that the lifting of restrictions would be done in two stages.

From November 8, people coming for reasons deemed non-essential, such as family or tourism, will be able to cross the border into Canada or Mexico, provided they are vaccinated.

People coming for compelling reasons - for example truck drivers - will be exempt.

But from January, the vaccine obligation will apply to all visitors crossing land borders, regardless of their reason for entering the United States.