I steer away from the politics around this subject, but I know this is news that so many of you were waiting for, and I can’t wait for all the reunions!
The Announcement
The Biden Administration has announced:
“Today, we are announcing that the Administration will end the COVID-19 vaccine requirements for [...] international air travelers at the end of the day on May 11, the same day that the COVID-19 public health emergency ends”
Attestation Form?
We have since confirmed with CBP (Customs and Border Protection) that this does indeed also mean the end of the much-reviled Attestation Form (or completing the Attestation Questions as part of the check-in process).
We knew this would be the case, as since testing is already long-abolished, there remains nothing to legally attest to, but wanted to get an official answer for you!
So What IS Still Required?
The only remaining element of the COVID-era regulations for entering the United States is the requirement to submit contact tracing information.
However, long before COVID we already had to submit most of this data as part of our Advanced Passenger Information (API), which was required by the US to be collected by airlines, so it's barely noticeable as part of online check-in.
As far as COVID regulations go, that's it!
Of course you still need a passport valid for the duration of your trip and an ESTA or appropriate visa, and are strongly recommended to have very good travel insurance that covers very expensive emergency medical care.
Useful Links
We have now updated this post to include some useful links for those looking for additional information on this latest change of rules:
