DENVER (KDVR) — Just as Colorado is seeing a spike in COVID-19 cases, travel restrictions are loosening.
Starting Monday, Nov. 8, for the first time in nearly two years, travelers who are not U.S. Citizens are able to fly to the United States.
Bans on travel from countries including Brazil, China, India, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and much of Europe are over.
All adult foreign nationals traveling to the U.S. must be fully vaccinated but will also still have to show a negative COVID-19 test three days before they travel in order to not quarantine.
It’s also noted that since half the world remains unvaccinated, and vaccine distribution has been skewed to rich countries, the Biden administration is leaving loopholes for people who live in countries where vaccines are scarce.
That list includes about 50 countries where fewer than 10% of people have been vaccinated. Travelers from those countries will need permission from the U.S. government to come here and it can’t be just for tourism or business travel. It must be for a humanitarian or emergency reason, like a medical evacuation.
Those exceptions will also require approval from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There could also be a medical exception, with documentation from a doctor, according to the Associated Press.
As far as who’s going to enforce it, that would be up to the airlines.
The CDC still recommends U.S. Citizens travel internationally only if fully vaccinated.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.