New travel regulations will impose extra testing on unvaccinated Americans.

Starting in early November, unvaccinated Americans returning to the U.S. will face stricter testing protocols, as announced by the Biden administration on Sept. 20, which is part of a broader strategy to reopen U.S. borders for international travelers.

"Today, the President revealed that strict measures will be implemented from early November to curb COVID-19 transmission from international passengers arriving in the U.S. Adult foreign nationals must be fully vaccinated to enter," stated a White House official via email. "This new policy will replace current travel rules for individual countries with a universal system beginning in early November, establishing uniform and rigorous requirements for all international air travelers to the U.S."

All foreign nationals heading to the U.S. must present proof of full vaccination before boarding their flights. Additionally, every traveler, including fully vaccinated American citizens, must show negative COVID-19 test results taken within three days prior to their U.S. departure.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will continue to strongly advise against air travel for unvaccinated Americans, yet they will allow these individuals to return to the U.S. by providing a negative COVID-19 test taken within one day of departure and proof of having purchased a viral test for post-arrival.

"The CDC will also implement a Contact Tracing Order requiring airlines to gather detailed contact information from every passenger arriving in the United States and to quickly provide that data to the CDC upon request. This is to facilitate follow-up with travelers who may have been exposed to COVID-19 variants or other pathogens," stated a White House official. "These requirements will be enforced globally."

Today's announcement is part of the removal of former President Donald Trump's travel ban, which restricted nonessential international travel to the U.S. for the past 18 months, including from the European Union, even as the EU welcomed back vaccinated Americans in June. November will mark the first opportunity for international travelers to enter the U.S. for tourism since March 2020.

In a press briefing on Sept. 20, White House press secretary Jen Psaki did not clarify which vaccines would be accepted or how vaccination proof would be verified, but indicated that more information would be released "as part of the implementation process in early November."