U.S. to End Canada and Mexico Land Border Restrictions for Vaccinated Visitors

The United States will lift restrictions at land borders with Canada and Mexico for fully vaccinated foreign nationals in early November. This will end the travel ban for non-essential travelers which has been in place since March 2020. The exact date has yet to be announced.

The information comes from U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement the administration “will begin allowing travelers from Mexico and Canada who are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 to enter the United States for non-essential purposes, including to visit friends and family or for tourism, via land and ferry border crossings.”

Air travel between the US and those countries has been possible. The second phase, starting in early January 2022, will apply the vaccination requirement to all inbound foreign travelers, whether traveling for essential or nonessential reasons, WSJ reports.. This would allow a smooth transition to the new system for truck drivers and others who have not been affected by the travel ban so far.

The new rules are similar to the new travel system that was announced last month for international air travelers.

Unvaccinated visitors will still be barred from entering the United States from Canada or Mexico at land borders.