Yesterday, the Biden administration officially announced that starting in early November, travel restrictions will be eased for all vaccinated foreign nationals.
The White House COVID-19 response coordinator stated that all foreign nationals traveling to the U.S. must be vaccinated and must present proof of vaccination before boarding a flight to the U.S., and must also provide a negative test result taken within 72 hours before departure.
The policy will take effect in early November and applies only to air travelers entering the U.S., not affecting restrictions at land borders.
U.S. Travel Ban Lifting Policy
The U.S. currently bans entry for most non-U.S. citizens who have been in the UK, the 26 Schengen countries in Europe, Ireland, China, India, South Africa, Iran, and Brazil within the past 14 days.
The lifting of the ban in November means that foreigners previously subject to the ban will be able to enter the U.S. directly, as long as they meet the vaccination and testing requirements, without needing to transit through a third country.
The U.S. government is also taking steps to strengthen management in three key areas: testing, contact tracing, and masking.
The coordinator said, "In the coming weeks, the CDC will issue a contact tracing directive requiring airlines to collect up-to-date information from every traveler heading to the U.S., including their phone number and email address."
As for the most pressing question about vaccine recognition, the CDC will release a list of accepted COVID-19 vaccines before the new policy takes effect. Which vaccines will be recognized by the U.S. ultimately remains to be determined by the CDC.
Travel Resumes, What About Visas?
Back in April, the U.S. Department of State issued a notice:
Chinese students holding valid F-1 or M-1 visas, with programs starting after August 1, can fly directly to the U.S. no earlier than 30 days before the start of the program, eliminating the need for third-country "quarantine washing."
For international students, the travel ban was actually lifted as early as August, and many students studying in the U.S. have already returned smoothly to resume their on-campus lives.
Last week, the U.S. Department of State also updated an important notice regarding F, M, and academic J visas: some international students traveling to the U.S. will be eligible for an interview waiver.
By the end of 2021, the U.S. plans to expand the number of F, M, and academic J visa applicants eligible for interview waivers. Now, with the consent of consular officers and based on local conditions, interview waivers may be granted to F, M, and academic J visa applicants who have previously been issued any type of visa and have never been refused.
For first-time visa applicants, only those from countries/regions in the Visa Waiver Program can apply; currently, mainland China is not included.
For other visa types such as tourist visas, applicants must still wait for official notifications from embassies and consulates.
Regarding the specific requirements for applying for an interview waiver, we highlight two key points:
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The applicant must be a Chinese citizen or resident and must be physically present in China.
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Chinese citizens applying for F-1 student visas must hold a visa valid for five years.
For more detailed requirements, please visit the official U.S. Visa Information Service website:
https://www.ustraveldocs.com/cn_zh/cn-niv-visarenew.asp
With the start of the fall semester and the implementation of various policies, study abroad life in the U.S. has returned to normal.
While resuming in-person learning, we also hope everyone continues to take protective measures and stay safe and healthy for the new semester!
