Canada will finally open its borders, first to Americans

Canada and the US extend travel restrictions 0:49

Ottawa (CNN) -

The long wait will soon be over for foreigners who have been barred from entering Canada for nearly 16 months.

Beginning August 9, United States citizens and permanent residents who currently reside in the United States and who are fully vaccinated will be allowed to enter Canada.

Non-essential travel to Canada has been banned since March 2020, something the Canadian government said was necessary to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

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International travelers may also be allowed to enter Canada as of September 7, provided "the epidemiology of covid-19 remains favorable," the Canadian government said in a statement Monday.

Entry to Canada will continue to be prohibited for all foreign travelers who are not fully vaccinated.

Entrance lanes closed at the US-Canada border in Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle, Quebec, on Sept. 16, 2020.

All fully vaccinated U.S. citizens and permanent residents must have the full schedule of a vaccine, or combination of vaccines, accepted by the Canadian government at least 14 days prior to entering Canada, according to the statement.

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Currently, the accepted vaccines are those from Pfizer / BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, and Johnson & Johnson.

Other vaccines, including those from China or Russia, will not be recognized by Canada.

Officials say they continue to "investigate" and will announce policy changes accordingly.

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Travelers must provide proof that they have been vaccinated.

In a major concession, unvaccinated children under 12 who enter Canada with vaccinated parents or guardians will not have to quarantine for 14 days.

In another change to policy, fully vaccinated travelers will not need a post-arrival test unless they have been randomly selected at the port of entry to complete a covid-19 molecular test.

All travelers entering Canada, regardless of vaccination status, will need a negative PCR or molecular test within 72 hours of request for entry.

However, the White House on Monday refused to commit to reopening its northern border to Canadians.

"We continue to review our travel restrictions and any decision on reopening travel will be guided by our public health and medical experts," White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters.

"We take this incredibly seriously, but we look at and are guided by our own medical experts. I would not look at it with reciprocal intent," Psaki said.

The United States has established working groups with allies in the United Kingdom and the European Union on reopening travel, but the results of those discussions have not been clear.

The EU lifted travel restrictions for US citizens last month.

CNN's Kevin Liptak contributed to this report.

Border closure