Categories Department of State Immigration and Customs Enforcement News & Updates

Current COVID-related Guidance on Travel to and From the United States

With the constantly changing landscape around COVID-related travel restrictions, is it important to find updated information prior to any international travel. As of right now, our current guidance is as follows:

Before Departing the U.S.

It is recommended to be fully aware of the COVID-19 requirements at your destination as they may differ from U.S. requirements. You can find country-specific guidance on the CDC website. Failing to follow your destination’s requirements can result in denial of entry.

Per CDC guidance, you should refrain from traveling if you have COVID-19 symptoms, you tested positive for COVID-19, you are waiting for results of a COVID-19 test or you had close contact with a person with COVID-19 and are recommended to quarantine.

Vaccination Requirements to Enter the U.S.

As of June 12, 2022, the CDC is no longer requiring air passengers traveling from a foreign country into the U.S. to show a negative COVID-19 test or documentation of recovery from COVID-19.

U.S. citizens, Legal Permanent Residents and Nonimmigrants flying into the U.S. will be required to provide contact information to their airline before boarding a flight to the United States.

Nonimmigrants entering the U.S. through air, land or ferry must be fully vaccinated, with limited exceptions. A person is considered fully vaccinated:

  • 2 week (14 days) after an accepted single-dose vaccine
  • 2 weeks (14 days) after second-dose of an accepted 2-dose vaccine
  • 2 weeks (14 days) after receiving the full series of an accepted COVID-19 vaccine in a clinical trial
  • 2 weeks (14 days) after receiving 2 doses of any “mix and match” combination of accepted COVID-19 vaccines administered at least 17 days apart

Accepted COVID-19 vaccines include the following:

  • Single dose: Janssen/J&J and Convidecia (CanSinoBIO)
  • 2-dose series: Comirnaty (Pfizer-BioNTech); Spikevax (Moderna); Vaxzevria (AstraZeneca); Covaxin; Covishield; BIBP/Sinopharm; CoronaVac (Sinovac); Nuvaxovid (Novavax); Covovax; and Medicago (clinical trial vaccine)

Accepted proof of COVID-19 vaccination must have personal identifiers (full name plus another identifier such as date of birth or passport number), name the official source who issued the record and list the vaccine manufacturer and date(s) of vaccination. Accepted proof of COVID-19 vaccination includes the following:

  • Verifiable records (digital or paper): vaccination certificate with QR code or digital pass via Smartphone application with QR code
  • Non-verifiable paper records: printout of COVID-19 vaccination record or COVID-19 vaccination certificate issued at a national or subnational level or by an authorized vaccine provider
  • Non-verifiable digital records: Digital photos of vaccination card or record, downloaded vaccine record or vaccination certificate from official source

In order to expedite the inspection process, the Department of Homeland Security is encouraging travelers arriving or departing the U.S. to use Simplified Arrival or Mobile Passport Control, which can make the inspection process touchless and more expedient with the use of facial comparison technology.

Please contact your Graham Adair attorney with specific travel questions, or contact us at info@grahamadair.com; +1 408 715 7067.