COVID-19 Restrictions Removed as of May 12, 2023

CBP No Longer Requires Proof of Vaccination for Air Travelers

As has been recently reported, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol’s (CBP) Carrier Liaison Program announced on May 11, 2023, that under a Presidential Proclamation, the COVID-19 vaccination requirement for noncitizen nonimmigrant air travelers was terminated as of May 12, 2023.

The rescission took effect for flights departing to the United States from a foreign country on or after 12:01 am ET on May 12, 2023. Noncitizen nonimmigrant air passengers no longer must show proof of being fully vaccinated with an accepted COVID-19 vaccine to board a flight to the United States, CBP said.

Details:

• “Rescinding Requirement for Proof of Covid-19 Vaccination for All Airline or Other Aircraft Passengers Arriving into the United States From any Foreign Country,” CBP (May 11, 2023). https://www.aila.org/infonet/cbp-no-longer-requires-proof-covid-19-vaccination
• “A Proclamation on Revoking the Air Travel COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement,” White House (May 9, 2023). https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2023/05/09/a-proclamation-on-revoking-the-air-travel-covid-19-vaccination-requirement/

CDC Updates COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements for Civil Surgeons

On May 12, 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated guidance on its Immigrant, Refugee, and Migrant Health webpage on COVID-19 vaccination requirements for civil surgeons:

• The applicant must receive one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine if a dose is due at the time of the exam according to current CDC guidance. Additional doses are no longer required, and applicants do not have to postpone completion of the exam to complete the primary series of the COVID-19 vaccine.
• Applicants who have completed any approved primary COVID-19 series before the exam require no additional COVID-19 doses for immigration. Those who have not yet done so should receive a bivalent vaccine.
• Applicants who have received one or more doses but have not completed the primary series and are not yet due for the next dose in the series at the time of the exam should use the “Insufficient time interval between doses” blanket waiver.

Details:

• COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement, CDC (May 12, 2023). https://www.cdc.gov/immigrantrefugeehealth/civil-surgeons/vaccinations.html#covid-19-vaccination

Please note this is not considered legal advice and is for informational purposes only. If you require legal advice, please contact our firm at info@flynnhodkinson.com