Washington – The United States is planning to ease land travel restrictions for fully vaccinated visitors from Mexico and Canada in November, lifting the pandemic restrictions for non-essential travel after 19 months.
From early next month, fully vaccinated visitors traveling for nonessential reasons, like visiting friends and family or shopping, will be allowed to cross U.S. land borders, the federal government announced late Tuesday.
“Cross-border travel creates significant economic activity in our border communities and benefits our broader economy,” U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement. “We are pleased to be taking steps to resume regular travel in a safe and sustainable manner.”
Since Mexican and Canadian citizens with essential reasons, such as attending school or trucking goods across the border, were always permitted to enter the U.S. by land, the vaccination requirement will also extend to them starting from January 2022, providing ample time for essential travelers to get vaccinated.
The White House also announced last month it will no longer prohibit fully vaccinated foreign visitors from entering the country on U.S.-bound flights from early November.