The Government announces the COVID-19 vaccine and test requirements to travel by plane to the US from November 8

The Government chaired by Joe Biden announced on Monday the requirements for American and foreign travelers who want to enter the United States by plane as of November 8, when flights will resume after restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

These will be the new rules:

Proof of vaccination

Air travelers who are not citizens or permanent residents

to fly to the United States.

Passengers will have to show their vaccination status and airlines will have to cross-check the name and date of birth to confirm that the passenger is the same person who appears on the proof of vaccination.

They will also need to determine that the record was issued by an official source (eg, public health agency, government agency) in the country where the vaccine was administered.

They will review essential information

to determine if the passenger meets the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) definition of being fully vaccinated, such as the vaccine product, the number of doses received , the date (s) of administration, the place of vaccination (eg, vaccination clinic, health center).

The Administration has indicated that it will work closely with airlines to ensure that these new requirements are implemented successfully.

The measures will go into effect on November 8. Grant Faint / Getty Images

Accepted vaccines 

Accepted vaccines will include those approved or authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and those on the World Health Organization (WHO) emergency use list. 

People are considered to be fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the last required dose.

Any combination of two doses of vaccines that require two injections is also acceptable.

Coronavirus test required

Previously, all travelers were required to have a negative test result within three days of traveling to the United States. 

As announced in September, the

conducted within one day of travel. 

Both nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs), PCR tests and antigen tests are accepted.

This means that all

along with the negative test result. 

Are you planning to travel for Christmas?

Expect to find exorbitant flight prices

Oct. 9, 202101: 48

For Americans who can demonstrate that they are fully vaccinated, the same current requirement will apply: they must submit a negative test result within three days of travel. 

Persons traveling to the United States and unable to demonstrate that they are fully vaccinated will need to present documentation of a negative test within one day of departure.

Requirements for children

Children under 18 years of age are exempted from the vaccination obligation for foreign travelers due to the inability to vaccinate some young children and the global variability of access to vaccination for older children who are eligible to be vaccinated. 

Children between the ages of 2 and 17 must take a pre-departure test. 

If you are traveling with a fully vaccinated adult, an unvaccinated child can be tested three days prior to departure (in accordance with the deadline for fully vaccinated adults).

If an unvaccinated child is traveling alone or with unvaccinated adults, they will need to be tested one day before departure. 

Limited exceptions to the vaccination mandate

There is a very limited set of exceptions to the vaccination requirement for foreign nationals.

These include exceptions for those under the age of 18, some participants in the COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial, those with medical contraindications to vaccines, those who need to travel for emergency or humanitarian reasons (with a letter issued by the United States Government stating the urgent need to travel), those traveling on non-tourist visas from countries with low availability of vaccines (as determined by the CDC), and other very limited categories. 

[Getting closer to the vaccine for children ages 5 to 11] 

Those who receive an exception will generally be required to attest that they will comply with applicable public health requirements

, including, with very limited exceptions, the requirement that they be vaccinated in the United States if they intend to stay here more than 60 days .