On January 25, 2021, President Joseph Biden issued a proclamation to reinstate the Brazil, United Kingdom, Ireland, and Schengen Area travel restrictions that were set to be rescinded on January 26, 2021. Additionally, President Biden added South Africa as a country from which travel to the US is restricted because of the COVID-19 variant in that country, while Iran (Proclamation 9992) and China (Proclamation 9984) remain from previous proclamations.

President Biden’s proclamation restricts most non-US nationals who have visited one of the restricted countries in the past fourteen days from entering the US. The South Africa portion of the ban will go into effect on Saturday, January 30, 2021. The same exemptions remain available as before – US citizens and Green Card holders and their immediate relatives (spouses and children under twenty-one) may travel to the US from these areas. The national interest exemption remain an option as does travel to a third country that is not subject to the restrictions. In all cases, individuals will have to show a negative COVID-19 test within seventy-two hours of travel.

This proclamation will remain in effect until it is terminated, and it orders the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide a recommendation as to whether this proclamation (as well ones for China and Iran) should be continued, modified, or terminated thirty days from issuance, and by the end of each month going forward. Please consult our post, “Can I Travel to the US”, for a full overview of travel restrictions to the US.