The U.S. will reopen to international travelers on November 8 — here's what you need to know

Today, the United States confirmed that it will officially open its doors to fully vaccinated travelers on Nov. 8, following the announcement on Sep. 20 that the Biden administration would welcome back these individuals in "early November."

While we now have a confirmed date of Nov. 8, some uncertainties remain about the acceptable proof of vaccinations and the overall process. Here’s what we currently know regarding the U.S. reopening.

The United States is set to officially reopen on Nov. 8

On Oct. 15, the White House revealed its strategy to open U.S. borders to fully vaccinated international travelers by land and air on Nov. 8, with the Biden administration stating it aims to establish a global travel policy that prioritizes public health, consistency, and stringent measures.

This is great news for eager travelers, especially Europeans who have been waiting for the green light to book their trips. British Airways, the European airline with the highest number of flights to the U.S., has already experienced a significant surge in new bookings. The airline is even bringing its largest aircraft — the Airbus A380 — back into service after 18 months to fly to U.S. destinations in December, including Miami (MIA) and Los Angeles (LAX).

Which vaccines will be approved — and in what manner?

We expect to receive details before Nov. 8 about which specific vaccines will be accepted for entry into the U.S., as well as the types of proof that will be required. Currently, we know that all vaccines approved and authorized by the FDA, as well as those recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) for Emergency Use Listing (EUL), will be accepted for air travel. This includes the following:

• Pfizer-BioNTech
• Moderna
• Johnson & Johnson
• AstraZeneca-SK Bio
• Serum Institute of India

It remains unclear if other vaccines, such as the Chinese Sinovac or Russian Sputnik V vaccines, will be included on the approved list.

Unlike the EU Digital COVID Certificate, which enables EU citizens and residents to quickly generate a formal vaccine certificate via a user-friendly app, the U.S. has yet to implement a similar digital system for verifying vaccination status.

Currently, it remains unclear whether foreign paper vaccine cards or photocopies of vaccination records will be accepted for entry.

This clarification must occur before the first European can enter.

Will each state enforce the same entry requirements?

Another concern is achieving a uniform nationwide policy for European entry. While local regulations differ from state to state and city to city, travelers should anticipate needing to provide proof of vaccination to board a flight to the U.S., regardless of their final destination in the country.

Some states continue to adopt a very strict stance on matters such as mask mandates, vaccination certificates, and indoor capacity restrictions. This includes cities like New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles — where proof of vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 test is necessary to access most indoor venues, including restaurants and bars.

Therefore, you will need to check the specific COVID-19 guidelines of each city and/or state you plan to visit. However, since travel is currently limited to those who are fully vaccinated, proof of vaccination should generally be sufficient and take precedence over any testing requirements — which are typically applied to unvaccinated individuals.

It's also important to mention that traveling within the U.S. will likely be simpler than navigating travel across Europe. Nearly every European country has slightly different entry regulations, and there are almost as many countries in Europe as there are states in the U.S.

For instance, did you know that even if you are fully vaccinated, entering Italy still requires a negative antigen/lateral flow test, while Spain imposes no testing requirement? This kind of inconsistency can be quite frustrating, but it shouldn't occur in the U.S.

Will testing be mandatory?

All travelers heading to the U.S., including those who are fully vaccinated, will still need to present a negative COVID-19 test result obtained within three days prior to their departure for the U.S.

Similar testing mandates have been in effect in the U.S. since January 2021 for all incoming travelers, including American citizens. Anyone boarding a flight must provide the results of a negative nucleic acid amplification or antigen test taken within three days of their scheduled departure to the United States.

In summary

Fully vaccinated Europeans have finally received the long-awaited confirmation of the first date they can cross the Atlantic to the United States after an 18-month restriction, which is now less than a month away on Nov. 8. While more details are expected, fully vaccinated travelers can confidently start making travel arrangements to the U.S.