The White House is set to lift inbound travel restrictions for fully vaccinated foreign nationals at land borders and for air travel effective Nov. 8, according to Reuters and other sources.
Curbs on nonessential travelers at land borders were first imposed in March 2020 to slow the spread of COVID-19 and were first imposed on air travelers in China in early 2020. The restrictions eventually extended to more than 30 other countries.
Earlier this week, the White House announced plans lift restrictions at its land borders and ferry crossings with Canada and Mexico for fully vaccinated foreign nationals as of early November. These plans are similar to requirements announced last month for international air travelers.
According to the New York Times, the new travel policy comes with "stringent requirements." Unvaccinated foreign travelers will be barred from entering the United States, although the White House official did say that there will be limited exemptions, including for young children.
People who have been able to cross land borders, including commercial drivers and students, will also need to show proof of vaccination when crossing starting in January, giving them some time to adjust to the new rules, officials said.
The Industry Reacts
U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow celebrated the announcement: “U.S. 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,” he said in a statement.
“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.
“We applaud the administration for recognizing the value of international travel to our economy and our country, and for working to safely reopen our borders and reconnect America to the world.”
According to a poll from the Global Business Travel Association, set to be released on Thursday, Oct. 21., three in four (73 percent) believe the new travel policy will increase international business travel to the U.S. in the next six months.
"I am delighted that the U.S. will reopen its borders to the many countries shut out for so many months—and in our most recent GBTA pandemic recovery poll, nearly 75 percent of respondents wholeheartedly agree with this particular action," said Suzanne Neufang, CEO, GBTA. "International travel is critical to promoting global trade and growing worldwide understanding. It’s a much-needed milestone of support for the business travel sector worth $1.4 trillion to the global economy."