Proof of full vaccination now required for land and ferry travel to U.S.

As a result of the global rapid rate of spread of the latest COVID-19 variant, Omicron, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on January 20, 2022 amended vaccination requirements for inbound land and ferry travel for all "non-U.S. individuals," which the department defines as anyone who is not a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or U.S. national. 

What this means for F and J students and their dependents

Whereas proof of COVID-19 vaccination had not previously been required of nonimmigrant student visa holders, including F and J students and their dependents, traveling by land or ferry through the U.S.-Canada and U.S.-Mexican borders under the "essential travel" designation, the announcement on January 20 mandates that all non-U.S. individual land and ferry travelers to the U.S. must now present proof of full vaccination in order to be admitted starting January 22, 2022. Therefore, if you are an F or J visa holder traveling to the U.S. by land or ferry, starting January 22, 2022 you must meet the following requirements to be admitted:

• Provide verbal attestation of COVID-19 vaccination status
• Provide proof of a CDC-approved COVID-19 vaccine administered in accordance with CDC's guidelines
• Present valid travel documents, such as an unexpired passport and visa, if applicable

NB: Minors under the age of 18 who are unable to receive a vaccine in their home country are exempt from the vaccination requirement.

Is a negative COVID-19 test required for admission by land or ferry?

Unlike travel by air, COVID-19 testing is still not presently required for land or ferry travel regardless of citizenship. We expect that should this change in the future, an announcement will be posted to DHS's Fact Sheet: Guidance for Travelers to Enter the U.S. at Land Ports of Entry and Ferry Terminals and Frequently Asked Questions pages.

Look for a new blog post right here as well if the policy now in place is amended yet again.

We're here to help

Texas Global ISSS at The University of Texas at Austin is committed to providing international students and the wider international community with timely, accurate, and helpful information and insights on the latest regulatory changes and related news and developments. Should you have any questions about the content in this post, we encourage you to leave a comment below for a member of the ISSS advising team to answer. Thank you for reading our blog!