The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced a new Order for all air passengers traveling to the United States—please read the full details on the new requirements at travel.state.gov and CDC.gov.
Starting on November 8, foreign national air travelers (i.e. who are not U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents) to the United States will be required—with only very limited exceptions—to be fully vaccinated, and to provide proof of vaccination status prior to boarding an airplane to fly to the United States.
What Else Travelers Need to Know:
- This is a global policy that applies to travelers from all around the world, including The Bahamas.
- All fully vaccinated travelers will still be required to show documentation of a pre-departure negative COVID-19 test taken no more than three (3) days before travel to the United States. This applies to all travelers—including U.S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs), and foreign nationals.
- All FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) and WHO (World Health Organization) approved vaccines—and any combination thereof—will be accepted; that includes AstraZeneca.
- There are very limited other exceptions to the new requirements; those exceptions (such as humanitarian exemptions, etc.) will not apply to the vast majority of travelers.
- Children under the age of 18 are exempt from the vaccination requirement; however, children between the ages of 2 and 17 still need to present a negative COVID-19 test result.
What Else U.S. Citizens and LPRs Need to Know:
- U.S. citizens and LPRs who are not fully vaccinated, but who are otherwise eligible to travel, will need to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken one (1) day before their flight’s departure.
- U.S citizens and LPRs who are fully vaccinated will need to present airlines with proof of vaccination, and will also still need to provide a negative COVID-19 test taken three (3) days before their flight.
For full details about the updated requirements for air travelers, frequently asked questions, and other details from the Department of State and the CDC, please refer to the following websites:
- Travel.state.gov | Updated Requirements for Air Travelers to the U.S. due to COVID-19
- Travel.state.gov | Frequently Asked Questions on COVID-19 Vaccinations and Testing for International Travel
- CDC | Non-U.S. citizen, Non-U.S. immigrants: Air Travel to the United States
- CDC | Requirement for Proof of COVID-19 Vaccination for Air Travelers, and FAQs
