Sep 15, 2021, 1:47 pm
Last edit by: NewbieRunner
New thread for discussing 1-day test requirements for travellers arriving in the US by air
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/coronavirus-travel/2060730-us-require-air-travelers-provide-negative-test-within-1-day-departure.html
Entry ban from eight southern African countries starting on November 29, 2021
Most non-U.S. citizens who have been in South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique or Malaw within the prior 14 days will not be allowed into the United States.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/11/26/a-proclamation-on-suspension-of-entry-as-immigrants-and-nonimmigrants-of-certain-additional-persons-who-pose-a-risk-of-transmitting-coronavirus-disease-2019/
Entry ban by air to be lifted on November 8, 2021 - All travelers should refer to CDC for travel requirements.
3 day pre-flight testing requirement will continue (US citizens/LPR not vaccinated will have to test no earlier than 1 day prior) Children under 2 years old do not need to test.
Children under 18 are exempt from vaccination requirement
Accepted vaccines will include:
There is a face mask mandate when flying to/from the USA, with effectively no exemptions, and including children two and above years old
Airlines need to provide some sort of contact tracing information for potential follow-up cases
Update on U.S. travel policy requiring COVID-19 vaccination
Last Updated: October 25, 2021
As announced by the White House today, the new travel policy requiring foreign nationals traveling to the United States to demonstrate proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 will take effect November 8. The CDC’s website explains that, for purposes of entry into the United States, the accepted vaccines will include FDA approved or authorized and WHO Emergency Use Listing vaccines.
COVID-19 Travel Restrictions and Exceptions - U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs
Last updated: October 25, 2021
The presidential proclamations described on this page will no longer be in effect on November 8, 2021. For additional information, please see Safely Resuming Travel by Vaccine Requirement and Rescission of Travel Restrictions on Brazil, China, India, Iran, Ireland, the Schengen Area, South Africa, and the United Kingdom (travel.state.gov).
To protect the public health, there are four presidential proclamations that suspend entry into the United States of all noncitizens who were physically present in any of 33 countries during the 14-day period preceding their entry or attempted entry into the United States. They are Presidential Proclamation 9984 (China); Presidential Proclamation 9992 (Iran); Presidential Proclamation 10143 (Schengen Area, United Kingdom, Ireland, Brazil, and South Africa); and Presidential Proclamation 10199 (India).
What we know so far is
- Confirmed to start on 8 November
- Children under 18 are exempt from the vaccine restrictions, so the varying international standards on jab ages won't be an issue here.
- Vaccines that are OK will include Pfizer, Moderna, AZ, J&J and the two Chinese vaccines.
- Some exemptions from vaccinations are potentially allowed, notably for US citizens, though my guess is airlines will be expecting to see vaccine certificates
- 3 day pre-flight testing requirement will continue, so this needs to be a documented antigen/Lateral Flow test or PCR.
- 3 days is potentially more than 72 hours, departure on a Friday afternoon means a test on Tuesday morning or thereafter.
- NHS Lateral Flows and PCRs can't be used.
- Children over 2 years old travelling with vaccinated travellers have to be tested on the same basis (3 days).
- 1 day testing for unvaccinated USA legal residents (testing on or the day before departure), including their children.
- All passengers need to sign an attestment to confirm their negative test result and also a statement to confirm full vaccination status.
- Children who are not vaccinated do not need to get vaccinated but do need to get a "viral test" 3 to 5 days after arrival in the USA
- As a result there is a separate attestion question for unvaccinated children to confirm that the viral test is arranged.
- Vaccination certificates must come from an official source. The NHS COVID Pass app and EU DCC are specifically mentioned as acceptable.
- Vaccination is counted as two weeks from dose2, or 2 weeks after the sole dose in the case of J&J.
- Antibody certification is not a replacement for the need for vaccination, at least for non USA residents.
- 14 clear days need to elapse before travel. So if jabbed on 1 October then 15 October is when you are good to go.
- Booster vaccinations are not a factor here, they don't count towards or against the primary dose process.
- There is a face mask mandate when flying to/from the USA, with effectively no exemptions, and including children two and above years old.
- Airlines need to provide some sort of contact tracing information for potential follow-up cases.
- These restrictions do not apply at the land border.
Note that a lot of interpretation onus falls on airlines. For example there is no language requirement for vaccine certificates as far as the CDC is concerned, however you can imagine Air France may be hesitant in accepting a vaccine certificate issued in the Welsh language, to take one example.
CDC link
https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2...el-System.html
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/coronavirus-travel/2060730-us-require-air-travelers-provide-negative-test-within-1-day-departure.html
Entry ban from eight southern African countries starting on November 29, 2021
Most non-U.S. citizens who have been in South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique or Malaw within the prior 14 days will not be allowed into the United States.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/11/26/a-proclamation-on-suspension-of-entry-as-immigrants-and-nonimmigrants-of-certain-additional-persons-who-pose-a-risk-of-transmitting-coronavirus-disease-2019/
Entry ban by air to be lifted on November 8, 2021 - All travelers should refer to CDC for travel requirements.
3 day pre-flight testing requirement will continue (US citizens/LPR not vaccinated will have to test no earlier than 1 day prior) Children under 2 years old do not need to test.
Children under 18 are exempt from vaccination requirement
Accepted vaccines will include:
- AstraZeneca
- BIBP/Sinopharm
- Covishield
- Janssen/J&J
- Moderna
- Pfizer-BioNTech
- Sinovac
There is a face mask mandate when flying to/from the USA, with effectively no exemptions, and including children two and above years old
Airlines need to provide some sort of contact tracing information for potential follow-up cases
Update on U.S. travel policy requiring COVID-19 vaccination
Last Updated: October 25, 2021
As announced by the White House today, the new travel policy requiring foreign nationals traveling to the United States to demonstrate proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 will take effect November 8. The CDC’s website explains that, for purposes of entry into the United States, the accepted vaccines will include FDA approved or authorized and WHO Emergency Use Listing vaccines.
COVID-19 Travel Restrictions and Exceptions - U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs
Last updated: October 25, 2021
The presidential proclamations described on this page will no longer be in effect on November 8, 2021. For additional information, please see Safely Resuming Travel by Vaccine Requirement and Rescission of Travel Restrictions on Brazil, China, India, Iran, Ireland, the Schengen Area, South Africa, and the United Kingdom (travel.state.gov).
To protect the public health, there are four presidential proclamations that suspend entry into the United States of all noncitizens who were physically present in any of 33 countries during the 14-day period preceding their entry or attempted entry into the United States. They are Presidential Proclamation 9984 (China); Presidential Proclamation 9992 (Iran); Presidential Proclamation 10143 (Schengen Area, United Kingdom, Ireland, Brazil, and South Africa); and Presidential Proclamation 10199 (India).
What we know so far is
- Confirmed to start on 8 November
- Children under 18 are exempt from the vaccine restrictions, so the varying international standards on jab ages won't be an issue here.
- Vaccines that are OK will include Pfizer, Moderna, AZ, J&J and the two Chinese vaccines.
- Some exemptions from vaccinations are potentially allowed, notably for US citizens, though my guess is airlines will be expecting to see vaccine certificates
- 3 day pre-flight testing requirement will continue, so this needs to be a documented antigen/Lateral Flow test or PCR.
- 3 days is potentially more than 72 hours, departure on a Friday afternoon means a test on Tuesday morning or thereafter.
- NHS Lateral Flows and PCRs can't be used.
- Children over 2 years old travelling with vaccinated travellers have to be tested on the same basis (3 days).
- 1 day testing for unvaccinated USA legal residents (testing on or the day before departure), including their children.
- All passengers need to sign an attestment to confirm their negative test result and also a statement to confirm full vaccination status.
- Children who are not vaccinated do not need to get vaccinated but do need to get a "viral test" 3 to 5 days after arrival in the USA
- As a result there is a separate attestion question for unvaccinated children to confirm that the viral test is arranged.
- Vaccination certificates must come from an official source. The NHS COVID Pass app and EU DCC are specifically mentioned as acceptable.
- Vaccination is counted as two weeks from dose2, or 2 weeks after the sole dose in the case of J&J.
- Antibody certification is not a replacement for the need for vaccination, at least for non USA residents.
- 14 clear days need to elapse before travel. So if jabbed on 1 October then 15 October is when you are good to go.
- Booster vaccinations are not a factor here, they don't count towards or against the primary dose process.
- There is a face mask mandate when flying to/from the USA, with effectively no exemptions, and including children two and above years old.
- Airlines need to provide some sort of contact tracing information for potential follow-up cases.
- These restrictions do not apply at the land border.
Note that a lot of interpretation onus falls on airlines. For example there is no language requirement for vaccine certificates as far as the CDC is concerned, however you can imagine Air France may be hesitant in accepting a vaccine certificate issued in the Welsh language, to take one example.
CDC link
https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2...el-System.html
US reopened on 8 November 2021 (& subsequent entry restrictions for non-citizens)
Sep 20, 2021, 9:16 am
#2311
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,703
It's not entirely clear from the news stories so far, but if this new regimen applies to all international arrivals, doesn't that actually mean that unvaccinated travelers (who are not US citizens or permanent residents) won't be able to travel by air to the US starting from November at all?
Foreign nationals flying to the United States will be required to be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus when the policy takes effect in early November, said White House coronavirus response coordinator Jeff Zients.
and
This is relying on individuals, rather than a country-based approach, so it’s a stronger system,” Zients said.
and
This is relying on individuals, rather than a country-based approach, so it’s a stronger system,” Zients said.
Sep 20, 2021, 9:22 am
#2312
Join Date: Apr 2021
Location: Malaga Spain, Lake County Florida
Posts: 153
Not a chance, there’s around 150 million people between the EU and US who have not been vaccinated, and probably never will be now.
Good luck trying to exclude that many people from traveling when millions will have already recovered from Covid, have religious or medical reasons for not being vaccinated etc etc.
It’ll be reported it’s only being rescinded for the vaccinated until the bans actually lifted in the hope of getting even more vaccinated but at the end of the day you’ll be fine with a PCR or antigen test.
Sep 20, 2021, 9:26 am
#2313
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: London & Sonoma CA
Programs: UA 1K, MM *G for life, BAEC Gold
Posts: 10,220
It's been confirmed in Karen Pierce's statement that it will be for fully vaccinated only, plus a PCR within 3 days before travel. It's also reported that Americans who are not vaccinated will be allowed in, but must test before departure and after arrival. It's not yet confirmed which vaccines will be acceptable, but I'm guessing AZ will be ok. Date is early November but not yet confirmed.
Sep 20, 2021, 9:28 am
#2314
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: London & Sonoma CA
Programs: UA 1K, MM *G for life, BAEC Gold
Posts: 10,220
I'm in the same boat. It looks likely that the ban will be lifted just as my two weeks in Canada will finish.
Sep 20, 2021, 9:31 am
#2315
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: BSL
Programs: AA (EXP); among others :)
Posts: 2,520
Correct. Only fully vaccinated travelers from EU allowed in.
https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/us-...ce-2021-09-20/
https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/us-...ce-2021-09-20/
Sep 20, 2021, 9:32 am
#2316
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2014
Programs: Top Tier with all 3 alliances
Posts: 11,644
Not a chance, there’s around 150 million people between the EU and US who have not been vaccinated, and probably never will be now.
Good luck trying to exclude that many people from traveling when millions will have already recovered from Covid, have religious or medical reasons for not being vaccinated etc etc.
It’ll be reported it’s only being rescinded for the vaccinated until the bans actually lifted in the hope of getting even more vaccinated but at the end of the day you’ll be fine with a PCR or antigen test.
Good luck trying to exclude that many people from traveling when millions will have already recovered from Covid, have religious or medical reasons for not being vaccinated etc etc.
It’ll be reported it’s only being rescinded for the vaccinated until the bans actually lifted in the hope of getting even more vaccinated but at the end of the day you’ll be fine with a PCR or antigen test.
Sep 20, 2021, 9:39 am
#2317
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 188
Not a chance, there’s around 150 million people between the EU and US who have not been vaccinated, and probably never will be now.
Good luck trying to exclude that many people from traveling when millions will have already recovered from Covid, have religious or medical reasons for not being vaccinated etc etc.
It’ll be reported it’s only being rescinded for the vaccinated until the bans actually lifted in the hope of getting even more vaccinated but at the end of the day you’ll be fine with a PCR or antigen test.
Good luck trying to exclude that many people from traveling when millions will have already recovered from Covid, have religious or medical reasons for not being vaccinated etc etc.
It’ll be reported it’s only being rescinded for the vaccinated until the bans actually lifted in the hope of getting even more vaccinated but at the end of the day you’ll be fine with a PCR or antigen test.
Once you get over your fear of the vaccine, you can join civilized society again.
Sep 20, 2021, 9:40 am
#2318
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1MM 1K, BA Gold
Posts: 430
PCR for sure, antigen no good anymore? Also second the question about children (American and foreign). Hope the extra testing is not going to be applicable to them, that would be a huge burden (PCR test within one day).
Sep 20, 2021, 9:47 am
#2319
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: UA MM
Posts: 4,104
Given the state of the US, will many Americans actually care?! 90% of us are on course to being vaccinated, whilst Alabama has barely pipped 40% and is within your own borders...
You can fly in from Mexico with an antigen test done outside a nightclub after 1000 beers at early-o'clock (speaking from experience - there are 24/7 pop-up clinics and they gave me the negative piece of paper before the results came back - literally as soon as I'd done the test and paid!)
These measures were never about stopping the import of COVID, let alone variants..!
You can fly in from Mexico with an antigen test done outside a nightclub after 1000 beers at early-o'clock (speaking from experience - there are 24/7 pop-up clinics and they gave me the negative piece of paper before the results came back - literally as soon as I'd done the test and paid!)
These measures were never about stopping the import of COVID, let alone variants..!
Sep 20, 2021, 9:49 am
#2320
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2014
Programs: Top Tier with all 3 alliances
Posts: 11,644
Now sit back and watch fares rising and award availability disappear, lol...
Sep 20, 2021, 9:55 am
#2321
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Paradise
Posts: 1,617
Not a chance, there’s around 150 million people between the EU and US who have not been vaccinated, and probably never will be now.
Good luck trying to exclude that many people from traveling when millions will have already recovered from Covid, have religious or medical reasons for not being vaccinated etc etc.
Good luck trying to exclude that many people from traveling when millions will have already recovered from Covid, have religious or medical reasons for not being vaccinated etc etc.
Sep 20, 2021, 9:59 am
#2322
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Between Seas
Posts: 4,712
The same old new administration had to appease angry allies with something and border controls were the easiest it seems.
Covid: US opens up to fully vaccinated EU and UK passengers
- One British official told the BBC that the decision had come completely out of the blue. Prime Minister Boris Johnson had been planning to raise it on Tuesday in his meeting in the White House with the president, but with little hope of making progress, the official said. Airline shares rose following reports of the new travel rules.
For months a joint working party has been looking at ways to relax the travel ban. The work, I'm told, has been detailed and assiduous. But last Friday in Washington next to no one (not even in the Biden administration) was expecting today's announcement. So what's changed?
The Biden administration is aware of the growing disquiet among European allies about a range of issues - Afghanistan notably, but in recent days French fury over the Aukus submarine deal. And remember France is America's oldest ally. This week Joe Biden will be meeting, not only Boris Johnson, but a whole pile of EU leaders during the UN General Assembly in New York. And all had it on their dance cards to raise the travel ban. According to one diplomatic source, the US over the weekend just weighed the countervailing forces: annoy some Americans with a policy that could be characterised as being weak on Covid; or continue to alienate your European allies who are growing increasingly irritable. –
- One British official told the BBC that the decision had come completely out of the blue. Prime Minister Boris Johnson had been planning to raise it on Tuesday in his meeting in the White House with the president, but with little hope of making progress, the official said. Airline shares rose following reports of the new travel rules.
For months a joint working party has been looking at ways to relax the travel ban. The work, I'm told, has been detailed and assiduous. But last Friday in Washington next to no one (not even in the Biden administration) was expecting today's announcement. So what's changed?
The Biden administration is aware of the growing disquiet among European allies about a range of issues - Afghanistan notably, but in recent days French fury over the Aukus submarine deal. And remember France is America's oldest ally. This week Joe Biden will be meeting, not only Boris Johnson, but a whole pile of EU leaders during the UN General Assembly in New York. And all had it on their dance cards to raise the travel ban. According to one diplomatic source, the US over the weekend just weighed the countervailing forces: annoy some Americans with a policy that could be characterised as being weak on Covid; or continue to alienate your European allies who are growing increasingly irritable. –
Sep 20, 2021, 10:01 am
#2323
Community Director
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Norwich, UK
Programs: A3*G, BA Gold, BD Gold (in memoriam), IHG Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 8,473
Not a chance, there’s around 150 million people between the EU and US who have not been vaccinated, and probably never will be now.
Good luck trying to exclude that many people from traveling when millions will have already recovered from Covid, have religious or medical reasons for not being vaccinated etc etc.
It’ll be reported it’s only being rescinded for the vaccinated until the bans actually lifted in the hope of getting even more vaccinated but at the end of the day you’ll be fine with a PCR or antigen test.
Good luck trying to exclude that many people from traveling when millions will have already recovered from Covid, have religious or medical reasons for not being vaccinated etc etc.
It’ll be reported it’s only being rescinded for the vaccinated until the bans actually lifted in the hope of getting even more vaccinated but at the end of the day you’ll be fine with a PCR or antigen test.
If you're relying on your hypothesis as a basis for continuing to enjoy access to the US, then I'd have to say I'm as sure as I can be that you're going to be very disappointed for a while to come. There's a very clear trajectory here, and that's to move to a much more uniform set of requirements no matter where you arrive from, coming in line with what most of the rest of the world is moving towards. It would have been quite astonishing, frankly, if the US had held out for longer than Australia, so whilst this has come earlier than expected the actual conditions around entry surely can't be much of a surprise.
Anyone is entitled to choose whatever path they want, so long as they accept that path might well have consequences.
Sep 20, 2021, 10:02 am
#2324
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2000
Location: أمريكا
Posts: 26,761
This is good news, and I'm glad that it looks like the vaccination requirement will apply globally, not just for travelers from the EU.
I bet more countries are going to add vaccination requirements, and the ability for unvaccinated Americans to travel outside of the country is going to shrink over time.
I bet more countries are going to add vaccination requirements, and the ability for unvaccinated Americans to travel outside of the country is going to shrink over time.
Sep 20, 2021, 10:06 am
#2325
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2015
Location: BOS, YVR, ZRH
Programs: *G
Posts: 17,383
Not a chance, there’s around 150 million people between the EU and US who have not been vaccinated, and probably never will be now.
Good luck trying to exclude that many people from traveling when millions will have already recovered from Covid, have religious or medical reasons for not being vaccinated etc etc.
It’ll be reported it’s only being rescinded for the vaccinated until the bans actually lifted in the hope of getting even more vaccinated but at the end of the day you’ll be fine with a PCR or antigen test.
Good luck trying to exclude that many people from traveling when millions will have already recovered from Covid, have religious or medical reasons for not being vaccinated etc etc.
It’ll be reported it’s only being rescinded for the vaccinated until the bans actually lifted in the hope of getting even more vaccinated but at the end of the day you’ll be fine with a PCR or antigen test.