The US will reopen transAtlantic flights to vaccinated passengers on Nov. 8, following 18 months of restrictions that have hit many international carriers, travel companies and businesses hard. The White House on Friday said it would lift COVID-19 travel restrictions for fully vaccinated foreign nationals effective Nov. 8, ending historic restrictions that had barred much of the world from entering the United States. The Biden administration may have announced the end of stringent requirements for European, South African, Brazilian, Chinese, and Indian travelers coming to the US, but testing requirements will remain. Pending further details, the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) posted a brief update online about the Nov. 8 reopening, stating that "for purposes of entry into the United States, vaccines accepted will include FDA approved or authorized and WHO Emergency Use Listing vaccines." Late Friday the CDC said it would accept mixed doses for international travelers. Announcing the starting date for the new rules on travel into and out of the country, White House spokesman Kevin Munoz posted on Twitter that the policy "is guided by public health, stringent, and consistent." The unprecedented travel restrictions kept millions of visitors out of the United States from China, Canada, Mexico, India, Brazil, much of Europe and elsewhere; shrunk US tourism; and hurt border community economies. They prevented many loved ones and foreign workers from reuniting with families. Restrictions on non-US citizens were first imposed on air travelers from China in January 2020 by then-President Donald Trump and then extended to dozens of other countries, without any clear metrics for how and when to lift them. Curbs on non-essential travelers at land borders with Mexico and Canada have been in place since March 2020 to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Reuters first reported Friday's announcement of the Nov. 8 starting date earlier in the day. The US Travel Association CEO Roger Dow applauded the administration "for recognizing the value of international travel to the US economy and the country, and for reconnecting America to the world." "US Travel has long called for the safe reopening of our borders, and we welcome the Biden administration's announcement of a set date to welcome back vaccinated international travelers," said Dow. "The date is critically important for planning — for airlines, for travel-supported businesses, and for millions of travelers worldwide who will now advance plans to visit the United States once again. Reopening to international visitors will provide a jolt to the economy and accelerate the return of travel-related jobs that were lost due to travel restrictions." Calling it "exciting news" from its American partners, the European Travel Commission added that it "hopes to see connectivity coming back to normal in the coming months," while pointing out that Europe is open for US travelers and looks forward to welcoming them back. Airlines have seen an increase in international ticket sales in recent weeks, Nick Calio, chief executive of the Airlines for America industry trade group, said in a statement. Calio said the "full reopening of international travel is also critical to reviving economies around the globe, reinvigorating communities and supporting millions of jobs in the US and abroad." The White House on Tuesday announced it would lift restrictions at its land borders and ferry crossings with Canada and Mexico for fully vaccinated foreign nationals in early November. They are similar but not identical to requirements announced last month for international air travelers. Unvaccinated visitors will still be barred from entering the United States from Canada or Mexico at land borders. Canada on Aug. 9 began allowing fully vaccinated US visitors for non-essential travel. The White House, which held a meeting late Thursday to finalize the Nov. 8 date, faces some remaining questions, including how and what exemptions the Biden administration will grant to the vaccine requirements. Children under 18, for example, are largely expected to be exempt from the requirements, an official said. The United States has allowed foreign air travelers from more than 150 countries throughout the pandemic, a policy that critics said made little sense because some countries with high infection rates were not on the restricted list, while some on the list had the pandemic more under control. The White House said last month it would apply vaccine requirements to foreign nationals traveling from all other countries. Non-US air travelers will need to show proof of vaccination before boarding a flight, and will need to show proof of a recent negative COVID-19 test. Foreign visitors crossing a land border will not need to show proof of a recent negative COVID-19 test. The new rules do not require foreign visitors or Americans entering the country to go into quarantine. Americans traveling overseas must still show proof of a recent negative COVID-19 test, and unvaccinated Americans will face stricter testing requirements. They will also be subject to restrictions in countries they plan to visit, which may include quarantines. — Agencies
