U.S. Government Terminates Certain COVID-19 Arrival Restrictions
In order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the U.S., U.S.
Customs and Border Protection (CBP), working with the U.S. Center
for Disease Control (CDC), designated 15 U.S. airports that
travelers returning to the U.S., who were present in certain
countries that experienced a surge in COVID-19 cases, could enter
in order to undergo COVID-19 health screening. The countries
included the following:
- The People’s Republic of China(PRC) (excluding the Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kongand Macau);
- The Islamic Republic of Iran;
- The Schengen Area countries ofWestern and Central Europe;
- The United Kingdom, excludingoverseas territories outside of Europe;
- The Republic of Ireland;
- The Federative Republic ofBrazil.
The purpose of directing flights from these countries to a
limited number of U.S. airports was to focus public health
resources to conduct enhanced COVID-19 health screenings in order
to protect the U.S. population.
Recently, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced that,
effective September 14, 2020, flights that carry passengers,
present in the above listed countries, are no longer required to
land only at the 15 designated U.S. airports. Rather,
individuals who are present in these countries may now land at any
U.S. airport for inspection by CBP and the COVID-19 health
screening. CBP contends that by not restricting entry to the
15 U.S. airports, it will allow public health resources to be more
effective and will stimulate air travel. CBP indicates that
all other health measures to protect the public health will remain
in place.
Please note that the announcement by CBP and TSA does not
rescind the country-specific COVID-19 health proclamations that
were issued suspending the issuance of U.S. visas and/or entry of
individuals into the U.S., who are present in the above listed
countries, unless the individual is exempt from the proclamations
(Examples: Green Card holders; Spouses, Children, Parents of
U.S. Citizens or Green Card holders; foreign nationals traveling to
the U.S. at the invitation of the U.S. government for purposes
related to the containment or mitigation of the COVID-19 virus,
etc.), or has obtained a National Interest Exception (NIE) from the
U.S. Department of State prior to boarding a flight to the U.S.
Originally published by FGI,
September 2020
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