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U.S. opens land borders to fully vaccinated international travelers November 8

Mexico City, Mexico — As of November 8, the U.S. will reopen its land borders to both Canadian and Mexican travelers. Along with the reopening of the border for non-essential travel comes the request for proof of a full vaccination.

International travelers will be required to have appropriate paperwork that provides proof of vaccination. Individuals who have not been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 will not be allowed to travel for non-essential purposes from Canada and Mexico into the United States via land and ferry ports of entry.

Access will be allowed for visitors with any of the doses approved by the WHO including AstraZeneca, Sinopharm and Sinovac. The US will allow the entry of Mexicans who have any of the vaccines approved by the WHO.

The new rules represent the most significant changes to the US travel policy since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, replacing a system that outright prohibited most foreigners from coming directly from certain locations including Europe, India, Brazil and China.

Instead, under the new system, vaccinated people who have had a negative test in the previous 72 hours will be able to board a flight to the US as long as they share contact tracing information.

Non-vaccinated foreigners will be barred from entering, while non-vaccinated Americans will need a negative COVID test. The measure was first announced on September 20, but the Biden administration did not immediately say when the measures would take effect.

The November 8 date applies to a change in air travel rules as well as an opening along the land borders with Canada and Mexico announced earlier this week.

According to a statement from Homeland Security, “The modifications to the Title 19 regulations will occur in two phases over the next few months. First, in November, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will begin allowing fully vaccinated travelers from Mexico or Canada to enter the United States at land and ferry POEs for non-essential reasons.

“Travelers will be required to have appropriate paperwork that provides proof of vaccination. Individuals who have not been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 will not be allowed to travel for non-essential purposes from Canada and Mexico into the United States via land and ferry POEs.

“Second, beginning in early January 2022, DHS will require that all inbound foreign national travelers crossing U.S. land or ferry POEs – whether for essential or non-essential reasons – be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and provide related proof of vaccination. This approach will provide ample time for essential travelers such as truckers, students, and healthcare workers to get vaccinated.”

It is not yet clear how the United States will treat people who receive mixed injections, one dose of one vaccine followed by one dose of another.