Many of us are planning to visit family, or have them come to visit us, during the holiday season. Here is what you need to know before traveling abroad.
Travelers Coming to the United States
As of November 8, 2021, all foreign nationals visiting the United States must present proof of vaccination before boarding their flight. Only vaccines that are FDA approved or authorized, as well as vaccines with an emergency use listing (EUL) from the World Health Organization (WHO) will be accepted. The Sputnik V vaccine is not approved by WHO and travelers with the vaccine will not be considered vaccinated.
Fully vaccinated air travelers will continue to be required to show documentation of a pre-departure negative viral test from a sample taken within three days of travel to the United States before boarding. That includes all travelers – U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents (LPRs), and foreign nationals.
For US citizens, the rules are different. U.S. citizens and Legal Permanent Residents are not required to be fully vaccinated, but those who are not must present documentation of a negative viral test from a sample taken no more than 1 day. Vaccinated citizens and LPR may present the same negative viral test up to 3 days before departure.
Travelers Leaving from the United States
While the CDC recommends that all international travelers be vaccinated, specific rules may vary based on your country of destination.
Some countries do not require any negative COVID test if you have a vaccine, some countries require both vaccination and a negative COVID test, and some countries are not accepting any American travelers at all. Review the information of your destination country to make sure you can travel.
Check with the US Embassy in your destination country for more information.