USA Reopening for Fully Vaccinated Travellers on November 8th
Last month, the White House revealed the hope-giving announcement that the country is planning the borders reopening for EU and UK travelers who wish to make non-essential trips to the USA. All travelers who have been eagerly awaiting the exact date can now book flights and arrange all travel formalities. The U.S. government officially announced that starting from November 8th, fully vaccinated foreigners traveling from 33 countries will be able to enter the States.
Content:
New travel norms to enter the States
From Nov.8th onward, travelers arriving in the U.S. will need to:
- have proof of full dose of COVID-19 vaccination
- take pre-departure COVID-19 negative test result (test to be taken 3 days of departure)
- provide contact details for contact tracing
The great news is that there will be no quarantine for travelers who meet all the aforementioned entry requirements.
Vaccination requirements will not affect children. Nevertheless, they will be subject to more stringent testing. As for now, all travelers aged 2 and older, including citizens and permanent residents of the States, are required to provide a negative COVID-19 test to board the flight to the U.S.
List of countries affected by new entry regulations
- India
- South Africa
- Brazil
- United Kingdom
- Republic of Ireland
- Iran
- China
- Countries of the Schengen Area
- Canada
- Mexico
Vaccines approved by the U.S. government
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved three manufacturers of the COVID-19 vaccines:
- Johnson Johnson
- Pfizer-BioNTech
- Moderna
Vaccines approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) include:
- Moderna
- Sinovac
- Sinopharm
- Oxford-AstraZeneca/Covishield
- Pfizer-BioNTech
- Johnson and Johnson
Moreover, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed that travelers vaccinated with the combination of two vaccines approved either by WHO or FDA will be recognized as fully vaccinated.
New entry requirements for Americans
Upon the implementation of the new travel system, unvaccinated Americans will be subject to more complicated testing requirements to enter the States. From Nov. 8th, they will need to take a COVID-19 test one day before their departure. Moreover, those Americans who have not been fully vaccinated will need to be tested upon arrival in the U.S. These entry regulations do not apply to vaccinated Americans. However, they are still obliged to provide a negative coronavirus test that must be taken within 72 hours before a trip to the States. Americans can board international flights to the States not being fully vaccinated.
USA Electronic System for Travel Authorization
ESTA is an electronic system aiming at pre-screening all travelers entering America. Its holder can use it for trips related to business, tourism, or transit. Since ESTA is issued as a multiple-entry permit, an eligible traveler can enter the country numerous times within 2 years of the period for which ESTA is issued. There is no need to bother with Embassy visits anymore. The process will not take more than 15 minutes and can be completed from the comfort of your home! All countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program can apply for ESTA to the United States online.
