WASHINGTON — Next week, U.S. restrictions on international travelers get lifted. Last month, President Biden announced he would end COVID-19 related travel restrictions for vaccinated travelers.
The US had COVID-19 travel restrictions for more than 30 countries, including most of Europe and the United Kingdom. Starting Monday, America is back open for international business, as long as you're fully vaccinated.
THE QUESTION
What are the new rules for international travel to the United States?
OUR SOURCES
THE ANSWER
Fully vaccinated travelers with a negative COVID-19 test will be able to travel to the U.S. There are also some exceptions.
WHAT WE FOUND
On Monday, fully vaccinated international travelers can begin traveling to the U.S. As far as what vaccines will apply, the CDC said all three of the vaccines approved here are valid:
- Johnson & Johnson
- Moderna
- Pfizer.
Then there are the international vaccines that are accepted:
- AstraZeneca
- Covishield
- Sinopharm
- Sinovac.
But that’s not all international travelers need, new rules require a negative COVID-19 test within three days of their travel to the US.
An important note is that there are some exceptions to the vaccinated rule.
Exceptions include:
- Children under 18.
- People with documented medical issues caused by the COVID-19 vaccines.
- People who may be participating in a COVID19 vaccine trial.
- And several other rare diplomatic circumstances.
In these cases, the person must show a negative COVID-19 test within one day of their travel to the US.
Those are the new rules, but there are some additional recommendations the CDC has for international travel. They recommend all travelers get a COVID-19 test three to five days after arrival.
For those rare cases of unvaccinated people allowed into the US, the CDC asks they quarantine for seven days, even if they test negative.