United States, borders reopened: here's what to know before you leave
After a year and a half, exactly on November 8, the United States reopened its doors to tourists. It goes without saying [...]
United States of America
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After one and a half years, exactly on November 8, the United States have reopened their doors to tourists. It goes without saying that to gain access you need to have completed the vaccination cycle and have certain documents required by the U.S. government. Here is what you need to know before booking your ticket.
Doors open to the vaccinated
All travelers, without U.S. citizenship and over the age of 18, may enter the United States only if vaccinated. A full course is required, with the second inoculation having occurred at least 14 days ago. Not all vaccines are approved to grant entry to the US. Here is the list:
- Pfizer
- Modern
- Johnson & Johnson
- AstraZeneca
- Covaxin
- Covishield
- Sinopharm
- Sinovac
TODAY: Fully vaccinated, legal non-citizens may once again travel to the U.S. for non-essential reasons via land & ferry ports of entry. Make sure you:
?Bring proof that you are fully vaccinated for #COVID19
?Can verbally indicate your reason for travelhttps://t.co/nTjpgQLC9L pic.twitter.com/9Lg1u8LBd1- Homeland Security (@DHSgov) November 8, 2021
There are three accepted methods of confirming one's vaccination at the controls:
- Vaccination certificate, paper or digital, bearing a QR code. The Green Pass fits neatly into this category
- Printed document attesting to vaccination or a certificate issued by a national agency
- Photo of a vaccination certificate, inoculation document downloaded from official source such as the Ministry of Health or national use app with QR Code (such as Immuni or IO)
Beyond the type of document shown to controls, there is some crucial information that must be on the paper or digital sheet:
- Personal information useful for identification
- Information regarding the entity that authorized the inoculation of the vaccine
One's documentation will obviously have to be presented to the airline for check-in. Passengers will also be asked for some personal details to ensure traceability, should it be necessary, during their time in the US.
Photo Multimedia Centre European Parliament
Covid tests and obligations for children
All passengers over the age of 12 must undergo a PCR or antigenic test. This is required regardless of one's vaccination status. However, the timing changes depending on whether the person is vaccinated or not. In the first case, the test can be done within three days of departure. In the second case, however, within 24 hours prior (to which a second Covid test is added within 3-4 days of arrival).
All travelers under the age of 18 are not required to present any vaccination certificate to enter the United States, whether by land or air. There are, however, regulations that must be followed:
- All passengers between the ages of 2 and 17 must undergo a Covid test before departure
- An adult traveling with an unvaccinated child (ages 2-17) can act as a guarantor and ensure that he or she is tested within three days of arrival
- Test required of all individuals aged 2 to 17 years traveling alone or with an unvaccinated adult
Travel insurance
Compared to, for example, Singapore and Thailand, the United States does not require you to have compulsory medical insurance in order to travel to the US. However, our advice is to have it and take advantage of the one provided free of charge in the annual fee of the American Express Platinum.
Who is exempt from the vaccine
Some individuals are exempt from vaccination and therefore admitted to the United States without such a restriction. Here are the categories:
- Children under the age of 2 years
- Participants in specific vaccine trials
- Subjects with rare medical contraindications to the vaccine
- Members of the armed forces and their family members (wife and children)
- Airline crew
- Diplomats
In conclusion
We hope with this article to have answered the many questions we receive from readers seeking clarification on moving, without risk and hassle, to the United States.
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