As of: 09/20/2021 7:02 p.m.
The US is taking a step towards the Europeans: Vaccinated people will be allowed to re-enter from November. US President Biden has so far strictly adhered to the lock imposed by his predecessor Trump.
The USA will relax the entry bans imposed on foreigners because of the corona pandemic. Europeans from the Schengen area and Brits who are fully vaccinated against Corona should be allowed to re-enter from November. EU Industry Commissioner Thierry Breton welcomed the easing and spoke of a “logical step in view of the success of the vaccination campaign in Europe”.
The US government is lifting an entry restriction that the elected President Donald Trump had issued 18 months ago as a result of the pandemic. Trump briefly lifted the rule in January before the new White House boss Joe Biden put it back into effect.
Fully vaccinated foreigners will soon be able to re-enter the US
Verena Bünten, ARD Washington, daily news 8:00 p.m., September 20, 2021
Merkel and Macron pushed
The actions of the Biden administration caused increasing criticism in the European Union and also in the USA. The EU had already asked its member states in the summer to gradually lift restrictions on travelers from the USA and several other countries. In August, however, the U-turn followed: Stricter entry rules should come into force again.
Representatives of the European Commission and French President Manuel Macron have been urging the US government for months to lift travel restrictions altogether. The German Prime Minister Angela Merkel is said to have raised the issue during a visit to Washington. Travel and business associations complained about the US entry bans. Due to the regulations, numerous couples who live in a long-distance relationship could no longer see each other.
Exceptions for green card holders
The White House has so far kept a low profile on the demands of the Europeans. The only answer was to advise. The aim is to make the confusing entry rules more understandable. But that is not an indication of a new procedure, said spokeswoman Jen Psaki just a few days ago. Now everything turns out differently.
The previous travel restrictions state that only US citizens and holders of a green card as well as their family members are allowed to enter the USA if they have been in the EU or Great Britain in the past 14 days. All others need special permission.
With information from Torsten Teichmann, ARD-Studio Washington
Vaccinated Europeans can travel to the USA again from November
Torsten Teichmann, ARD Washington, September 20, 2021 6:18 pm