Fully vaccinated travellers who are flying into the United States will no longer be required to show a negative COVID-19 test to board their plane as of Sunday, June 12, 2022.
Last January, the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) introduced a policy requiring all travellers flying into the States – regardless of their vaccination status or citizenship – to submit proof of a negative viral COVID-19 test taken no more than one day before their flight.
That policy remained in place despite widespread criticism from the travel industry – and even after the U.S. reopened land-border crossings to travellers who are fully vaccinated without requiring a COVID-19 test in January 2022.
The testing requirement for air travel will finally end at midnight on June 12, according to an official in U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration. Under the new policy, fully vaccinated foreign nationals will be able to fly to the U.S. without a negative COVID test. Unvaccinated U.S. citizens and permanent residents will still require a negative test to fly into the States. Unvaccinated foreign travellers will still require a negative COVID-19 test for their travel.
The move was welcomed by the U.S. travel industry and Canadian travellers eager to visit, vacation and conduct work in the U.S. “Today marks another huge step forward for the recovery of inbound air travel and the return of international travel to the United States,” Roger Dow, CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, said in a statement.
We will continue to monitor developments in this space as we emerge from the pandemic. If you have any questions about travel requirements, contact a member of our Immigration team.
Note: This article is of a general nature only and is not exhaustive of all possible legal rights or remedies. In addition, laws may change over time and should be interpreted only in the context of particular circumstances such that these materials are not intended to be relied upon or taken as legal advice or opinion. Readers should consult a legal professional for specific advice in any particular situation.