U.S. To Finally Lift Travel Bans for Fully Vaccinated Foreigners from the UK and EU
BY: Sarah Salarano and Kyra Aviles
In a major diplomatic victory for London and Brussels, the Biden Administration will be announcing that it will ease international travel restrictions by allowing fully vaccinated foreign nationals from the UK and EU to enter the United States.
Beginning in early November, international travelers will need to show proof of full vaccination prior to boarding U.S.-bound planes, and must test negative for COVID-19 within three days of departure. Contact tracing and masking will continue to be required, but there will be no quarantine mandate.1
This news is the first major change following more than 550 days of travel restrictions from the United Kingdom and Schengen region. While the travel ban was originally imposed by the Trump Administration in March of 2020, the Biden Administration has unexpectedly maintained the restrictions. These travel restrictions have been particularly contentious for European nationals, who feel the prolonged ban is unfair considering their rising vaccination rates and subsequent dips in COVID-19 cases. This is a shared consensus amongst many Europeans, who point out the hypocrisy that other countries, such as Serbia and Mexico, do not face any travel restrictions despite their lower vaccination rates.
European Union Ambassador to the U.S., Stavros Lambrinidis, weighed in on the issue by tweeting: “70% of EU adults are now fully vaccinated. The U.S. can safely let vaccinated Europeans in (with existing pre-flight testing), as the EU lets in vaccinated Americans. The travel ban seriously harms vital economic & human ties, at a time when they’re most needed.”2
While much of the public opposition focuses on the personal impact of those who have experienced missing major life events or separation from their families, a substantial economic impact on the U.S. is clear, too. It is estimated that the U.S. suffered from $198 million of net losses per day as a result of these travel restrictions.3 The lifting of these travel bans is a positive step towards revitalizing our global economy and alleviating the transatlantic rift.
- U.S. to ease travel restrictions for foreign visitors who are vaccinated against Covid (cnbc.com)
- Ambassador Stavros Lambrinidis 🇪🇺 on Twitter: “70% of EU adults are now fully vaccinated. The U.S. can safely let vaccinated Europeans in (with existing pre-flight testing), as the EU lets in vaccinated Americans. The travel ban seriously harms vital economic & human ties, at a time when they’re most needed.” / Twitter
- COVID-Related Travel Restrictions Costing US Almost $198 Million Daily | TravelPulse
About the Authors
Sarah Salarano is a paralegal at Mona Shah & Associates Global. She graduated from Emory University in December 2020 with a degree in Political Science and English.
Kyra Aviles is a paralegal at Mona Shah & Associates Global. She graduated from Oberlin College in May 2021 with a degree in Political Science and Law & Society.