US travel update: new travel rules for inbound US travelers

 

Updated: December 3, 2021

The US has released new guidelines for inbound/returning travelers to the US, including US citizens, effective Monday, December 6, 2021.

US citizens returning to the US are now required to test with ONE DAY of travel

All US citizens and all air travelers, regardless of vaccination status or citizenship, will need to show proof of a negative COVID test taken within ONE (1) day of travel, or documentation of having recovered from COVID-19 in the past 90 days, before they board their flight to the United States.

Previously, all vaccinated travelers were required to produce a negative viral test result within three (3) days of travel to the United States, and unvaccinated US citizens within one (1) day of departure. The test can be either an antigen test (a “rapid test” with results generally available within a few hours) or a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT), such as a PCR test.

Extremely limited exemptions to the new requirements include:

• Children under 2 years of age
• Land border crossings and persons arriving at seaports
• Returning from US territories include American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands

More information on 24-hour testing for returning travelers

The CDC defines the 1-day testing period as 1 day before the flight’s departure. By using a 1-day window, test acceptability does not depend on the time of the flight or the time of day that the test sample was taken. For example, if your flight is at 1pm on a Friday, you could board with a negative test that was taken any time on the prior Thursday.

The CDC has provided updated information on the 24-hour test requirement, including specifics on acceptable test types, what information must be included on test results, trips shorter than 1 day, etc.

• CDC test and vaccination document requirements and FAQs (December 3)
• CDC test timing requirements and FAQs (December 3)

For specific information on COVID-19 testing, the availability of tests, and how to obtain a test in your country of departure before returning to the US, visit the US Department of State’s website on COVID-19 Country Specific Information and choose your country of departure from the list.

Mask mandate extended to March 18, 2022

The federal mask mandate on public transportation, including international travel, will be extended through March 18, 2022. This includes transportation hubs such as airports and indoor bus terminals. Fines for noncompliance are a minimum of $500 and up to $3,000 for repeat offenders.

Additional information and general resources

• CDC’s Updated International Travel Page (December 3)
• CDC Infographic on New Rules (December 3)

Corporate Travel Management (CTM) will continue to closely monitor updates to US travel rules and restrictions. For the most up-to-date information from CTM, visit our COVID-19 Know the Facts page, which provides government and health advisory information, airline information, and day-by-day updates.