U.S. TO END TRAVEL BANS FOR VACCINATED PASSENGERS ‘EARLY NOVEMBER’ 2021
by Rabindra Singh
As announced on Monday, September 20th, 2021, by the White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, Biden Administration Plans to Rescind COVID-19 Travel Bans and instead require proof of vaccination from international travelers beginning in November 2021.
The White House will rescind the current geographic COVID-19 related travel bans implemented for individuals from China, Iran, the Schengen Area, U.K., Ireland, Brazil, South Africa, and India and will instead move forward with solutions to deter the spread of COVID-19 based on individuals, rather than restrictions placed on entire countries or regions.
Allowing more international travelers into the U.S. would have wide-ranging impacts. A ban on much of non-U.S. citizen travel has had broad effects on industries including airlines, retail and restaurants.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will also require airlines to collect and provide passenger information to aid contract tracing.
There will be a few exemptions to the vaccination requirements for foreign visitors, such as for children not yet eligible to be vaccinated, according to a person familiar with the White House’s strategy, but full details of the policy have not yet been released.