U.S. to lift Canada, Mexico land border restrictions in Nov for
vaccinated visitors
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[October 13, 2021]
By David Shepardson and Steve Holland
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The United States
will lift restrictions at its land borders with Canada and Mexico for
fully vaccinated foreign nationals in early November, ending historic
curbs on non-essential travelers in place since March 2020 to address
the COVID-19 pandemic.
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement
the administration next month "will begin allowing travelers from Mexico
and Canada who are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 to enter the United
States for non-essential purposes, including to visit friends and family
or for tourism, via land and ferry border crossings."
The new rules are similar but not identical to planned requirements
announced last month for international air travelers, U.S. officials
said in a call earlier with reporters.
Lawmakers from U.S border states praised the move to lift the
unprecedented restrictions which harmed the economies of local
communities and has prevented visits to friends and families for 19
months.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2021/Oct/13/images/ads/current/castlemanor_sda_FINANCIAL_2017.png)
"Since the beginning of the pandemic, members of our shared cross-border
community have felt the pain and economic hardship of the land border
closures. That pain is about to end," Senate Democratic leader Chuck
Schumer said in a statement.
Unvaccinated visitors will still be barred from entering the United
States from Canada or Mexico at land borders.
The officials from President Joe Biden's administration emphasized that
the White House would not lift the "Title 42" order put in place by
former President Donald Trump's administration that has essentially cut
off access to asylum for hundreds of thousands of migrants seeking to
enter from Mexico.
The precise date in early November when the restrictions will be lifted
on both land and air travel will be announced "very soon," one of the
officials said.
Homeland Security said the administration was creating "consistent,
stringent protocols for all foreign nationals traveling to the United
States – whether by air, land, or ferry."
Canada on Aug. 9 began allowing fully vaccinated U.S. visitors for
non-essential travel.
'GREAT RELIEF'
Once the U.S. curbs are lifted, non-essential foreign visitors crossing
U.S. land borders, such as tourists, will be able to visit if they are
vaccinated. In early January, the United States will require essential
visitors, like truck drivers or healthcare workers, to be vaccinated to
cross land borders, the officials said.
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![](../images/101321pics/news_I17.jpg)
A U.S. and a Canadian flag flutter at the Canada-United States
border crossing at the Thousand Islands Bridge, which remains closed
to non-essential traffic to combat the spread of the coronavirus
disease (COVID-19) in Lansdowne, Ontario, Canada September 28, 2020.
REUTERS/Lars Hagberg/File Photo
![](../images/ads/current/centraldirect_lda_SPONSOR_2021.png)
U.S. lawmakers have been pushing the White House to
lift restrictions that have barred non-essential travel by Canadians
across the northern U.S. border since March 2020, and many border
communities have been hit hard by the closure. Mexico has also
pressed the Biden administration to ease restrictions.
Senator Maria Cantwell said the announcement "will provide great
relief to those waiting to see friends and loved ones from Canada."
The White House announced on Sept. 20 that the United States in
early November would lift travel restrictions on air travelers from
33 countries including China, India, Brazil and most of Europe who
are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. It also said it would extend
the vaccine requirements to foreign air travelers from all other
countries.
Foreign visitors crossing into the United States by land or ferry
will need to be vaccinated but will not necessarily need to show
proof of vaccination unless they are referred by U.S. Customs and
Border Patrol for secondary inspections.
By contrast, all non-U.S. air travelers will need to show proof of
vaccination before boarding a flight, and will need to show proof of
a recent negative COVID-19 test. Foreign visitors crossing a land
border will not need to show proof of a recent negative COVID-19
test.
On Friday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said
the United States would accept the use by international visitors of
COVID-19 vaccines authorized by U.S. regulators or the World Health
Organization.
One question unanswered is whether the United States will accept
vaccines from visitors who received doses of two different COVID-19
vaccines.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2021/Oct/13/images/ads/current/safety-tip-daily-5.png)
The U.S. land border restrictions have not barred U.S. citizens from
returning home.
(Reporting by David Shepardson, Steve Holland, Tim Ahmann and Dan
Whitcomb; Editing by Eric Beech, Ana Nicolaci da Costa and Richard
Pullin)
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