The CDC has added COVID-19 to the list of vaccinations required of applicants seeking U.S. lawful permanent residence. The requirement, which will be effective beginning October 1, will apply to applicants seeking adjustment of status from within the U.S. and those applying for immigrant visas at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad.
Read MoreBiden Administration Expands COVID-19 Related Travel Restrictions to Travelers from India
President Biden issued a proclamation expanding the travel restrictions which suspend the of entry of certain travelers from the Schengen Area, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, Brazil, China, Iran, and South Africa, to include travelers from India. The President cited the “magnitude and scope of the COVID-19 pandemic” in the country and surging new cases and the need for “science-based public health measure[s]“ to be implemented.
As with the previous suspensions, U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents are not subject to the proclamations and certain other exemptions and exceptions still apply.
The expanded rule will become effective at 12:01 a.m. eastern standard time on May 4, 2021.
D&S will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as they become available.
Biden Administration Expands COVID-19 Related Travel Restrictions
This week, President Biden signed a proclamation continuing the suspension of entry of certain travelers from the Schengen Area, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, Brazil, China, and Iran, and expanding these restrictions to include travelers from South Africa.
As with the previous suspensions, U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents are not subject to the proclamations and certain other exemptions and exceptions still apply.
The expanded rule will become effective at 12:01 a.m. eastern standard time on January 30, 2021.
D&S will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as they become available.
U.S. to Require Proof of Negative COVID Test for International Travelers
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) announced that a negative Covid-19 test will be required from all air passengers entering the United States.
Under the rule, which will go into effect on January 26, all air passengers will be required to get a test within three days prior to their flight to the U.S., and to provide written documentation of their lab results, or documentation of having recovered from Covid-19 within the preceding three months. The rule will apply regardless of vaccination status and proof of immunization will not be sufficient to exempt a traveler from these requirements.
Airlines will be required to confirm all passengers are in compliance with the new rule prior to boarding, and where a passenger chooses not to take a test or cannot provide documentation of a negative test or recovery, the airline must not permit the passenger to board the flight.
Trump Administration Expands Travel Suspension to UK and Ireland
President Trump has announced an expanded ban on travel to the U.S. for foreign nationals who, within a 14-day period preceding their entry to the U.S., were physically present in the U.K. or Ireland. The suspension will become effective as of 11:59 pm (ET) on Monday, March 16, 2020 and is an expansion of the ban on travel for foreign nationals present in any of the 26 countries in Europe which comprise the Schengen Area. Like the prior ban, the measure, which is in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, does not apply to United States Citizens (USCs), Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs), and certain family members of USCs and LPRs.
D&S is closely monitoring this and will provide additional updates as new information becomes available.