President Biden requires Negative COVID-19 test for entry to US

January 09, 2021

On January 21, 2021, President Biden signed an which requires travelers entering the United States to produce proof of a recent negative COVID-19 test prior to entry. This Executive Order formalizes the CDC Order announced on January 12, 2021.

According to the international travelers must be tested no more than 3 days prior to their travel and show the negative results to the airline before boarding. Travelers who test positive will not be allowed to board and should self-isolate until they have met the CDC criteria for discontinuing isolation.

The applies to all air passengers traveling into the U.S. who are 2 years of age or older, including U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents. However, it does not apply to land border crossings. Acceptable COVID-19 tests include the rapid antigen tests and the PCR tests. Having a negative COVID-19 test result will not exempt any foreign nationals from any of the travel bans that are still in effect.

Individuals coming from a country subject to a travel ban must still obtain a National Interest Exception or quarantine for 14 days in a third country. For more information about National Interest Exceptions for the UK, Ireland, and the Schengen region, . For more information about National Interest Exceptions for Brazil,

Please contact us if you have questions about national interest exceptions or immigration matters.