What You Need to Know About the Vaccine Requirements Before Traveling to the US

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"The United States lifted the ban on international travelers arriving in the US on November 8, 2021. Since then thousands of travelers have touched down in the US for tourist purposes, to reunite with their loved ones, to study, or start their employment in the US."

Written by My Visa Source Team
Published on: Nov 28, 2021

The United States lifted the ban on international travelers arriving in the US on November 8, 2021. Since then thousands of travelers have touched down in the US for tourist purposes, to reunite with their loved ones, to study, or start their employment in the US.

Here’s What You Need to Know About the Vaccine Requirements Before Traveling to the US

Almost all international travelers are required to be fully vaccinated with one of the vaccines approved by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) before traveling to the US. They will be required to present proof of vaccination before boarding a flight to the US. Foreign nationals traveling to the US on an immigrant visa will have to show proof of vaccination when attending their immigration medical examination.

US citizens and lawful permanent residents, also known as Green Card Holders, will be required to show proof of vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test result taken 24 hours before their scheduled departure. Fully vaccinated US citizens and Green Card Holders will be required to show proof of vaccination along with a negative Covid-19 test result taken no more than 72 hours before their scheduled departure.

Who Is Exempt from the Vaccination Requirements?

The following individuals are exempt from the vaccination requirements:

Children under the age of 18
Individuals participating in Covid-19 vaccine trials
Individuals traveling for humanitarian reasons or emergency purposes
Individuals traveling from countries where there is low vaccine availability
Members of the US Armed Forces and their immediate family members
Airline and ship crew
Diplomats and their immediate family members

Do Children Need to Take a Covid-19 Test Before Traveling to the US?

Yes, children between the ages of 2 and 17 will be required to take a Covid-19 test before traveling to the US. Unvaccinated children traveling with fully-vaccinated adults will be required to present a negative test result taken no more than 72 hours before their scheduled departure. Children traveling alone or with unvaccinated adults will be required to provide a negative Covid-19 test result taken no later than 24 hours before their scheduled departure.

Travelers who have been infected with the Covid-19 virus in the past must show proof that they have recovered from the virus taken within 90 days of your scheduled departure. The US is accepting nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATS), like a PCR test, and antigen tests as valid Covid-19 tests. The airlines will collect your phone number, email address, and physical address in the US so the CDC can contact you while you are in the US.