The White House announced on 1 May 2023 that foreign nationals travelling to the United States by air would no longer need to submit evidence of COVID-19 vaccination from 12 May 2023. Consequently, the US Department of Homeland Security issued a similar statement revoking the vaccine requirement for specific foreign nationals visiting the United States through ferry terminals and land ports of entry.
Interestingly, the termination of the vaccination requirement also lifts all travel restrictions imposed during the pandemic. The White House also added that COVID-19 vaccination is still the most significant tool in maintaining the health and safety of the people.
The White House and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a statement in October 2021, requesting all foreign nationals seeking entry into the United States from another country by air, water, or land to get the COVID-19 vaccination. Of course, US permanent residents were excluded from this guidance. The authorities also asked travellers to show a negative COVID-19 test backdated to a day earlier before travelling to the US. Needless to say, these travel restrictions have been altered multiple times since their introduction.
However, the requirement to submit a recent negative COVID-19 test and provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination stayed the same. The Biden administration’s recent announcement confirmed the lifting of these pandemic-related travel restrictions on foreign nationals looking to enter the US. The administration stated that vaccination continues to play a significant role in maintaining the health and safety of employees. However, the world is in a different phase at the moment, and such measures seem unnecessary.
The White House has promised to unveil more details soon regarding the lifting of travel restrictions imposed to deal with the pandemic.
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