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)
#2896
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Japan/Thailand
Programs: AS, UA
Posts: 1,201
Looks like a test within 1 day of departure for everyone now, plus possible other post-arrival measures (not all decided yet and unclear how enforceable they will be though).
(Washington Post, free to read) Biden officials consider stricter testing requirements for all travelers to the U.S. amid omicron variant concerns
(Washington Post, free to read) Biden officials consider stricter testing requirements for all travelers to the U.S. amid omicron variant concerns
#2897
Join Date: Aug 2021
Programs: UA Gold
Posts: 25
Looks like a test within 1 day of departure for everyone now, plus possible other post-arrival measures (not all decided yet and unclear how enforceable they will be though).
(Washington Post, free to read) Biden officials consider stricter testing requirements for all travelers to the U.S. amid omicron variant concerns
(Washington Post, free to read) Biden officials consider stricter testing requirements for all travelers to the U.S. amid omicron variant concerns
#2898
Join Date: Jun 2019
Programs: MileagePlus
Posts: 199
Well I've traveled twice to Europe on vacation from the US since this started but those rules-- 1 day test requirement and potential 7 day quarantine-- would kill my ability to travel any further. I test myself 3x a week for work...so now I need 2 negative tests and have to quarantine. I dunno. Seems like maybe we should wait to see what the data says on this variant.
(Triple dosed, have not had COVID.)
(Triple dosed, have not had COVID.)
#2899
Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: Buckeye, AZ
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 241
Looks like a test within 1 day of departure for everyone now, plus possible other post-arrival measures (not all decided yet and unclear how enforceable they will be though).
(Washington Post, free to read) Biden officials consider stricter testing requirements for all travelers to the U.S. amid omicron variant concerns
(Washington Post, free to read) Biden officials consider stricter testing requirements for all travelers to the U.S. amid omicron variant concerns
#2900
Join Date: Oct 2019
Programs: OW Emerald / BAEC Gold
Posts: 472
It’s not clear when the new policy would take effect. But given the urgency of limiting the spread of what might be a highly transmissible variant, speed is essential. It’s possible the policy could take effect in a week or two, according to one official.
Lets see, seems like those possible pre-cautions might be applied 1-2 weeks from Thursday and by then there will be much more data for the Omicron variant and I know it is very pre-mature to say right now but hopefully it should not be more dangerous than delta variant.
#2902
Join Date: Oct 2019
Programs: OW Emerald / BAEC Gold
Posts: 472
Even if it would be 1 week from Thursday (so the new restrictions will be applied from Dec 9th) how could this affect foreigners who are already in the US?
#2903
Join Date: Mar 2012
Programs: Lame Duck Delta PM, Freshly Minted AA EXP
Posts: 234
To me, the quarantine mention sounds like a classic trial balloon. I imagine the administration wants some idea just how much blowback this would create (my totally uneducated opinion...a whole lot.)
#2904
Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: Buckeye, AZ
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 241
Same here. Returning on the 15th. I also fully expect that the return test to be PCR, because of what Fauci said the other day when asked about people entering the US. He stated that all people entering are taking PCR tests, which we know isn't true.
#2905
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Kent, UK
Programs: BA Gold, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, UA Premier Platinum
Posts: 125
I can’t see how these would be enforceable - except for the test 24 hours in advance. I think that is why the self isolation idea is missing from the draft.
A test 3-5 days in I could deal with, but also don’t see how they will enforce it.
A test 3-5 days in I could deal with, but also don’t see how they will enforce it.
#2906
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Colorado (anywhere between DEN DMM BAH)
Programs: United MileagePlus, SkyMiles, AAdvantage, NEXUS
Posts: 3,030
Just arrived in the US two hours ago: LHR-MUC-DEN on LH. At MUC heading towards the US gates, LH agents checked our proof of vaccination and negative test result and didn’t ask for the CDC form. Then as we were close to landing at DEN, the FA on the PA system said after arriving we may be randomly asked about any of the covid docs. I didn’t see how other people experienced it, but I went through GE and was not asked at all about covid docs by CBP.
#2907
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,710
A PCR in 24 hours might be tough to pull off in some parts of world. I am in French Polynesia and it isn't clear you could get it in 24 hours or one day. Heck it took CVS 2.5 days for me in US on outbound. Ended up getting a $125 rapid PCR test at LAX which was done in three hours.
Last edited by 36902BRF; Nov 30, 2021 at 7:02 pm
#2908
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: New York
Posts: 798
More testing blah blah blah. So now it’s a test one day before returning to USA, probably again a few days after arrival. Then maybe they will impose another rule saying another test after 1 week then another test after two weeks.
blah blah blah
blah blah blah
#2909
Join Date: May 2009
Location: South Park, CO
Programs: Tegridy Elite
Posts: 5,678
Well I've traveled twice to Europe on vacation from the US since this started but those rules-- 1 day test requirement and potential 7 day quarantine-- would kill my ability to travel any further. I test myself 3x a week for work...so now I need 2 negative tests and have to quarantine. I dunno. Seems like maybe we should wait to see what the data says on this variant.
(Triple dosed, have not had COVID.)
(Triple dosed, have not had COVID.)
A PCR in 24 hours might be tough to pull off in some parts of world. I am in French Polynesia and it isn't clear you could get it in 24 hours or one day. Heck it took CVS 2.5 days for me in US on outbound. Ended up getting a $125 rapid PCR test at LAX which was done in three hours.
#2910
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Berkshire
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 380
Oh good grief! I give up. Will request a voucher. It's all too much hassle.