Travel Restrictions to USA and North America due to COVID

Passengers who are not travelling direct to Canada from India or Pakistan after 22 April 2021 must take a COVID‑19 PCR test in the country of final departure (except India and Pakistan) for Canada.

Travel to Canada

Passengers arriving in Canada may be subject to COVID‑19 measures or fines imposed by the provincial or territorial government for failure to comply with any protocols or regulations related to the management of the spread of the COVID‑19 virus. Fines may also be imposed if they provide health check or hotel confirmation information that they know to be false or misleading.

There are specific entry requirements for travel to Canada during the pandemic. Check the details here before you fly.

Travellers must provide proof of a negative COVID‑19 molecular test taken up to 72 hours before their scheduled departure time.

As of 21 February 2021, at 11:59 pm ET, travellers, unless exempted, will also be required to:

• reserve a government‑authorised hotel in Canada for 3 nights prior to departure
• take a COVID‑19 molecular test on arrival
• stay in the government‑authorised hotel while awaiting the results of the COVID‑19 molecular test
• pay for the cost of the hotel stay, as well as all associated costs for:
  • food
  • security
  • transportation
  • infection prevention and control measures
    • must have a face mask on before boarding and wear a mask on board at all times
    • comply with any instructions given by a gate agent or a crew member with respect to wearing a mask

Travellers must present proof of having reserved and pre‑paid for their accommodation through ArriveCAN. Failure to comply with the mandatory pre‑paid accommodation requirement may result in enforcement action and a fine in Canada.

Travellers will still be required to complete the remainder of the mandatory 14‑day quarantine after their mandatory hotel stay.

The list of government hotels can be found here.

Passenger will be required to submit to a health check and answer the following questions at check‑in. Passengers may not be permitted to board depending on the response to the health questions.

• Do you exhibit a fever and a cough or a fever and breathing difficulties?
• Do you suspect that you have COVID‑19?
• Have you been denied permission to board an aircraft in the previous 14 days for a medical reason related to COVID‑19?

COVID‑19 testing requirements

All international passengers from the age of 5 years and above who are travelling to Canada are required to complete a COVID‑19 PCR test 72 hours prior to the scheduled departure to Canada.

Passengers are strongly advised to pre‑register here for testing in advance of their arrival.

• Refer to this link for information on accepted COVID‑19 tests.
• The 72 hour timeline is from the date the test is taken, and not when the result is issued.
• The 72 hour timeline is applicable from the departure to Canada and not the first point of departure.

Passengers who have previously tested positive for COVID‑19 are required to provide proof of a positive COVID‑19 molecular test conducted between 14 and 90 days prior to departure, instead of a negative COVID‑19 molecular test. A positive COVID‑19 test issued within 14 days and 90 days of departure from India or Pakistan will not be accepted.

Exemption

Please click here for further information on travel restrictions, exemptions and advice.

Quarantine

Please click here for further information on quarantine exemptions.

Travel from Canada

If you are travelling from Canada, you may be required to take a COVID‑19 PCR test and submit additional documentation before departure. Please check the requirements of your specific destination before you travel.

Temperature checks will be conducted at the airport. Passengers with an elevated temperature of 38 °C and above will not be permitted to travel or enter restricted areas at the airport for 14 days. This is not applicable for passengers who can provide a medical certificate certifying that their elevated temperature is not related to COVID‑19.

Passengers may not be allowed to board the aircraft if they are subject to a mandatory quarantine order as a result of recent travel or a local/provincial public health order.

Other information

COVID‑19 PCR testing can now be done at a designated facility “Switch Health”, which promises a quick return of the test results as well as an applicable discount for Emirates customers using EMIRATES‑SH code. Click here for FAQ’s and refer to the official website to get more details and make an appointment.

Last updated: 19 May 2021

If you are travelling to Mexico, you will not be required to take a pre‑departure COVID‑19 PCR test but you must complete in the traveller information form upon arrival.

COVID‑19 testing requirements

There are no COVID‑19 test requirements for entry to Mexico.

Required Forms

All passengers must complete a health declaration form by registering on the Vuela Seguro website upon arrival in Mexico. Once completed it will generate a QR code.

The QR code has to be available and presented to health authorities upon arrival.

Travel from Mexico

Required Forms

All passengers must register and complete an online a health declaration form before departure from Mexico. Once completed the confirmation QR code must be presented at check‑in.

COVID USA: For an overview of the general regulations for entry into the US during the COVID period, please refer to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

Passengers who have been physically present in the Schengen Area, the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, India, Iran, China, Brazil or South Africa 14 days preceding their trip are not permitted to travel to the USA. Exemptions are granted to US citizens, lawful US permanent residents and non‑US citizens who are the spouse of a US Citizen or lawful permanent resident. Further exemptions may apply – more information can be found here.

COVID‑19 testing and attestation requirements

COVID USA: Effective 26 January 2021, all passengers 2 years of age and older are required to get a COVID‑19 viral test (nucleic acid amplification / PCR test or a viral antigen test) within 3 days before departure to the US. Passengers must provide written documentation of their negative test result (paper or electronic copy) to the airline. Test results must show the name, specimen collection date and type of test done. Test results where the testing date is more than 3 days before departure will not be accepted.

Alternatively, passengers may provide official written documentation of a positive COVID‑19 test result within the last 3 months alongside a letter from their healthcare provider or a public health official that they have recovered and are cleared for travel. Together these are referred to as ‘documentation of recovery’.

All passengers age 2 and above travelling to the USA will be required to sign an attestation prior to departure (parent or other authorized individual may attest on behalf of passengers aged 2 to 17) confirming they meet the requirements and thus cleared to travel. Please ensure you download, print, complete and sign the attestation form before reporting to check‑in at the airport. Passengers who do not attest will not be permitted to travel.

US restrictions for passengers travelling through or from Guinea and Democratic Republic of Congo

COVID USA: Passengers who have been in the Democratic Republic of Congo or Guinea within the last 21 days will be permitted entry into the USA only through New York (JFK), Newark (EWR), Chicago (ORD), Los Angeles (LAX) and Washington (IAD).

US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) update its travel guidance for fully vaccinated people on 2 April 2021. A person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the last recommended dose of vaccine.

• Fully vaccinated passengers must still have a negative COVID‑19 test result before they board a flight to the United States and should get a COVID‑19 test 3 to 5 days after returning from international travel.
• Fully vaccinated passengers do not need to self‑quarantine after returning to the United States, unless required by a state or local jurisdiction
• Fully vaccinated passengers should continue to take COVID‑19 precautions while traveling – wearing a mask, avoiding crowds, socially distancing, and washing hands frequently.
• Unvaccinated passengers are recommended to get a COVID‑19 test 3 to 5 days after they return from international travel and stay home and self‑quarantine for a full 7 days after arrival. If passengers do not take a COVID‑19 test after international travel, they are recommended to stay home and self‑quarantine for 10 days.

Travel to New York (JFK)

COVID USA: If you are travelling to New York, you may be required to undergo quarantine on arrival.

Please refer to the travel advisory to the State of New York

Asymptomatic travellers entering New York from another country, U.S. state, or territory are no longer required to test or quarantine as of 10 April 2021. Quarantine, consistent with the CDC recommendations, is still recommended for all travellers who are not fully vaccinated or have not recovered from laboratory confirmed COVID‑19 during the previous 3 months. Symptomatic travellers must immediately self‑isolate and contact the local health department or their healthcare providers to determine if they should seek COVID‑19 testing.

All travellers must complete the Traveler Health Form unless the traveller had left New York for less than 24 hours or is coming to New York from a contiguous state. Contiguous states to New York are Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont.

Other Information

COVID USA: For the avoidance of doubt, those customers flying from Milan (MXP) to New York (JFK), the same travel requirements listed on this page apply.

Travel to San Francisco (SFO)

For an overview of the general regulations for entry into San Francisco during the COVID period, please refer to San Francisco international airport important travel information.