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After nearly 2 years of closed borders, as of 8 November 2021, UK visitors are finally able to travel to the US again. It’s good news for those who’ve been missing family or friends in the States, but the US requirements for UK visitors are complex. This guide is here to help you work out what’s what.
Before 8 November, only US citizens and a small selection of other exempt groups were allowed to enter the US from the UK. The US travel ban also applied to people travelling from Brazil, China, India, Ireland, South Africa, Iran and the Schengen countries – a group of 26 European nations, including France, Germany and Spain.
Since 8 November, the ban has been lifted, but subject to 2 essential criteria. All visitors who are not US citizens or legal permanent residents must fulfil both of the following criteria:
Those 17 and under are exempt from the vaccination requirement (children aged 2-17 must still take a pre-departure test). Those with a medical condition that precludes them from having a coronavirus vaccine and certain other groups are also exempt from the vaccination requirement but, in some cases, may be required to carry out additional tests and to quarantine.
The requirements outlined in this guide focus on people arriving in the US by air, which is the case for most travellers. The rules for arrival overland or by sea may be slightly different.
All of the following coronavirus vaccines, (as of February 2022), are accepted for travel to the US:
Importantly, you must have received both doses of these 2-dose vaccines to be considered fully vaccinated – and you must have received the last dose at least 2 weeks before your trip.
For the minority of people who might not have received the standard UK vaccine doses, they must meet the following criteria to be considered fully vaccinated:
If you don’t meet these requirements, you are not considered fully vaccinated and will not be allowed entry into the US unless you meet exception criteria.
Yes, but you must meet certain criteria to be able to travel to the US without being vaccinated. These include being under 18 or having a documented medical condition that means you can’t have a COVID-19 vaccine. In addition, unvaccinated travellers may be required to commit to the following:
If you are travelling domestically within the USA, individual states and territories may have their own quarantine requirements.
You can read the full list of exemption criteria as well as information on related testing or other requirements on the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.
The good news is that the US accepts the QR code-based NHS COVID Pass (available through the NHS app or the online NHS COVID Pass service) as proof of vaccination. You can show it on your smartphone or as a printed-out paper certificate.
If you cannot apply for your NHS COVID Pass digitally, you can ask for an NHS COVID Pass letter (you can also call 119 to ask for this) to be sent to you in the post. This will also be accepted.
Other accepted proof includes the following:
Type of documentation | Examples |
---|---|
Verifiable records (digital or paper) | Other certificates or smartphone apps with QR codes, such as the European Union Digital COVID Certificate |
Non-verifiable paper records | Print-outs of COVID-19 vaccination records or certificates from an official source (such as government or public health agency or other authorised vaccine provider) |
Non-verifiable digital records | Downloaded vaccination record or certificate from an official source |
Importantly, all forms of proof must have the following:
As of 6 December 2021, all travellers must take a COVID-19 test no more than 1 day before travel and must show the results in order to board a flight to the US.
This means that if you’re travelling to the US, you must choose a test provider that can guarantee you will be able to take your test and get your results within the 24 hours before you travel.
The US does accept lateral flow tests, as well as PCR tests, but there are specific requirements about these, as we explain below.
Children under 2 years old don’t need to take a test.
If you have recovered from COVID-19 within the last 90 days, instead of taking a test, you can travel with documentation of your recovery from COVID-19. This is because it’s possible to continue to test positive for this period without being infectious.
Documentation of your recovery would include your positive COVID-19 test result for a sample taken no more than 90 days before the flight’s departure, and a letter from a licensed healthcare provider or a public health official stating that you are cleared to travel.
Children under 2 years old do not need to take a post-arrival test. If you’ve recovered from COVID-19 in the 90 days before travel and have official documentation confirming this, you are exempt from the testing and quarantine requirements.
First and foremost, you cannot use a free NHS test (PCR or rapid lateral flow antigen test) for travel to another country, including the US. You need to pay for a test yourself.
The US does accept lateral flow tests – which are cheaper – as well as PCR tests, but not all DIY home tests will be permitted. To meet requirements, at-home tests must be supervised by the test provider on a video call. This is so it can confirm your identity and watch you take your sample. Alternatively, you can get tested at a commercial testing centre. The test provider must also be able to issue a report that meets CDC requirements. You will need to show this report before you board the plane and to US officials when you enter the States as well as at other times as required.
So before you book potentially pricey tests, check that the provider and the testing option you choose meet these requirements.
Children aged 11 and under do not need to take a pre-departure test.
There may also be rare medical exemptions, for example, if you have a medical condition that means you cannot take a test (if so, you will need to provide a note from a medical practitioner). Some people are also exempt from some or all requirements because of their job.
Everyone flying back home doesn’t need to take any tests or quarantine, whatever their vaccination status.
Not any more. Anyone can enter the UK regardless of vaccination status.
In the kerfuffle of sorting out all of your COVID travel requirements, don’t forget to apply for your ESTA (or Electronic System for Travel Authorization) visa waiver. All those travelling to the US as a visitor for 90 days or less, for business or pleasure, must apply for an ESTA before they travel. Those staying longer are likely to require a full visa. A good travel insurance policy is also a must-have.
And there are a couple of further, important coronavirus-related points to bear in mind.
There have been cases of travellers being refused boarding to various countries because of confusion over what’s required. Don’t let your long-awaited trip get ruined by taking the wrong test or misinterpreting the rules. Use the advice in this guide to make sure you leave no box unticked. And, in case you weren’t all too aware of this, don’t forget that the situation changes all the time, so double-check on the US embassy’s website a few days before you fly to find out what’s needed.
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