Travel Bans Out, Vaccinations In

Effective Monday, November 8, 2021, the United States will begin requiring all noncitizen nonimmigrants who are traveling to the United States by air to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to enter the United States, except in limited circumstances. Under this new policy, announced by the White House on Monday, October 25, 2021, the United States will no longer be enforcing the country-by-country travel restrictions that have been in place since January 2020, and will instead move towards an air travel policy relying primarily on vaccination.

Additional information on the new requirements may be found at the following links:

• DOS FAQS on COVID Vaccinations and Testing
• DOS Announcement on Vaccine Requirement and Rescission of Travel Restrictions
• CDC Info on Requirement for Proof of COVID-19 Vaccination for Air Passengers
• White House Fact Sheet on New Requirements for Air Travel During COVID-19

Again, this new vaccine requirement only applies to noncitizen nonimmigrants—that is, noncitizens who are visiting the United States or otherwise being admitted to the United States on a temporary basis—and only applies to persons traveling into the United States by air travel. It does not affect visa issuance and does not apply to U.S. citizens or to Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs) of the United States.

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Please note: This information is intended for educational purposes only. If you have questions about your eligibility for an immigration benefit or how this announcement may affect your particular case, please contact Joseph & Hall at (303) 297-9171 to schedule a consultation with one of our experienced attorneys. If you are already a client of Joseph & Hall and have questions about your case, please contact your attorney to discuss your case.