All international travelers arriving in the United States will now need proof of a negative COVID-19 test or recovery from COVID-19 in order to board their flight. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its guideline on Tuesday, January 12, 2021.
The Order applies to all air passengers traveling into the U.S., including U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents. It takes effect January 26, 2021.
To be allowed entry onto the flight, passengers must now show proof of a negative, pre-departure test result for SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19), collected within the three calendar days preceding the flight’s departure from a foreign country. Alternatively, the passenger may instead travel with written or electronic documentation of a positive viral test result that confirms previous SARS-CoV-2 infection and a letter from a licenses health care provider or public health official stating that the passenger has been cleared for travel. The passengers must provide the documentation to the airline and any U.S. government official. The order applies to passengers who are two years of age or older.