In an ongoing effort to curb the spread of COVID-19, President Biden has issued a Proclamation, which maintains the restriction on travelers from Brazil, Ireland, the Schengen Area, and the United Kingdom (excluding overseas territories outside of Europe).  The previous administration had planned on lifting these travel restrictions on January 25. 

President Biden also has added South Africa to the list of countries from which travel to the United States is restricted due to the recent surge of COVID-19 there.  South Africa currently has over 1,400,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19.  This restriction will take effect on January 30, 2021, at midnight.  Travelers flying to the US on flights that departed South Africa prior to midnight on January 30, 2021, will not be subject to this Proclamation, although they will likely be subject to extensive screening for symptoms. 

Who is affected by these travel restrictions?

The travel restrictions apply to most individuals who were in the countries listed above within 14 days prior to their arrival in the United States.  

The restrictions do not apply to the following categories of immigrants and nonimmigrants:

1. US citizens traveling from a restricted country.

2. Lawful permanent residents.

3. Spouses and minor children of US citizens or lawful permanent residents.

4. Parents, legal guardians, or siblings of a US citizen or lawful permanent resident.

5. Children, foster children, or wards of US citizens or lawful permanent residents seeking entry to the US in IR-4 or IH-4 visa classifications.

6. Foreign nationals traveling at the invitation of the US government.

7. Foreign nationals traveling under a C-1, D, or C-1/D nonimmigrant visa.

8. Any alien traveling under A-1, A-2, C-2, C-3, E-1, G-1, G-2, G-3, G-4, NATO-1 through NATO-4, or NATO-6 visa classification.

9. Members of the Armed Forces and their spouses and children.

10. Any alien furthering US law enforcement objectives or whose entry would be in the national interest.

Although President Biden has not offered a timeline by when these restrictions will end, he has indicated that these travel restrictions will be reviewed every 30 days to determine whether they need to be continued. 

Please note that if urgent travel to a restricted country is necessary and you would be subject to the restriction upon return, we recommend spending 14 days in a non-restricted country prior to seeking admission to the US.  Alternatively, you may request and qualify for a National Interest Exemption with the US Consulate or Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection.

This alert is for informational purposes only. Please contact me if you would like to discuss this development further.