On Thursday, April 21, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
announced that it will extend temporary Title 19 requirements and
continue to require non-U.S. travelers entering the United States
via land ports of entry and ferry terminals at the U.S.-Mexico and
U.S.-Canada borders to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and
provide related proof of vaccination upon request. These
requirements will continue to apply to non-U.S. travelers who are
traveling both for essential and non-essential reasons, and do not
apply to U.S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents, or U.S.
nationals.
These requirements were extended in consultation with the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and several other federal
agencies. According to CDC, vaccines remain the most effective
public health measure to protect people from severe illness or
death from COVID-19, slow the transmission of COVID-19, and reduce
the likelihood of new COVID-19 variants emerging.
Non-U.S. travelers entering the United States via land ports of entry and ferry terminals, whether for essential or non-essential reasons, must continue to:
- verbally attest to their COVID-19 vaccination status;
- provide, upon request, proof of a CDC-approved COVID-19 vaccination, as outlined on the CDC website;
- present a valid Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI)-compliant document, such as a valid passport, Trusted Traveler Program card, or Enhanced Tribal Card; and,
- be prepared to present any other relevant documents requested by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer during a border inspection.
COVID-19 testing is not required to enter the United States via
a land port of entry or ferry terminal.
The continuation of these requirements helps protect the health
and safety of both the personnel at the border and other travelers,
as well as U.S. destination communities, and ensures that public
health measures governing land travel align with those that govern
incoming international air travel. DHS will closely monitor all
relevant circumstances, including the effect of these requirements,
and may amend or rescind the requirements at any time. In
determining whether and when to rescind this order, DHS anticipates
that it will take account of whether the vaccination requirement
for non-U.S. air travelers remains in place. This announcement does
not affect requirements for entry into the United
States by air.
To help reduce wait times and long lines, travelers arriving or
departing from air, land, or sea ports of entry are encouraged to
use the Simplified Arrival or Mobile Passport
Control mobile applications, which use
facial comparison technology for more expedient processing.
Documented non-citizens may also apply for and manage their I-94s
through the CBP OneTM mobile application, a
single portal for accessing CBP mobile applications and
services.
Source: Department of Homeland Security, April 21, 2022: DHS Extends COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements for Non-U.S. Travelers Entering the United States via Land Ports of Entry and Ferry Terminals | Homeland Security
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