US travel update: US opening to vaccinated foreign travelers on November 8

 

Updated: October 15, 2021

The United States has announced that all vaccinated foreign travelers may enter the United States on November 8. This applies to both international air travel and land borders with Mexico and Canada.

Air travel requirements

Starting November 8, foreign national air travelers to the United States will be required to be fully vaccinated and to provide proof of their vaccination status to fly to the United States. Fully vaccinated travelers will continue to be required to show a pre-departure negative test taken within three days of travel prior to boarding. All FDA-approved and authorized vaccines, as well as all vaccines that have an Emergency Use Listing (EUL) from the WHO will be accepted for air travel.

Land border requirements

Also starting on November 8, foreign nationals crossing the land borders with Canada and Mexico or arriving in the United States by passenger ferry for non-essential reasons, such as to visit friends or family or for tourism, will be required to be fully vaccinated. These travelers are required to be prepared to attest to vaccination status and to present proof of vaccination to a CBP officer upon request. By January, foreign nationals traveling across the land border for both essential and non-essential reasons will be required to be fully vaccinated.

Further guidance

Further guidance on the very limited exceptions to these vaccination requirements, what will be acceptable proof of vaccination, and other operational details are forthcoming from CDC and other federal agencies, as applicable, well in advance of November 8 to enable preparation for a smooth transition to the new system.