Covid-19 Travel to United States Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of frequently asked questions on traveling to the United States during Covid-19
Does this requirement apply to US citizens & Childrens?
This Order applies to all air passengers, 2 years of age or older, traveling into the US, including US citizens and legal permanent residents.
Why does the Order specify 3 days rather than 72 hours? What is considered 3 days?
The 3-day period is the 3 days before the flight’s departure. The Order uses a 3-day timeframe instead of 72 hours to provide more flexibility to the traveler. By using a 3-day window, test validity does not depend on the time of the flight or the time of day that the test was administered.
For example, if a passenger’s flight is at 1pm on a Friday, the passenger could board with a negative test that was taken any time on the prior Tuesday or after.
What types of COVID-19 tests are acceptable?
Passengers must be tested with a viral test that could be either an antigen test or a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT), such as reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP), and transcription-mediated amplification (TMA). The test used must be authorized for use by the relevant national authority for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in the country where the test is administered. A viral test conducted for U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) personnel, including DOD contractors, dependents, and other U.S. government employees, and tested by a DOD laboratory located in a foreign country also meets the requirements of the Order.
Rapid tests are acceptable as long as they are a viral test acceptable under the Order.
Who is checking to make sure that people have a negative test or documentation of recovery?
What is a verifiable test result?
What if I have had a COVID-19 vaccine?
Yes, at this time all air passengers traveling to the US, regardless of vaccination or antibody status, are required to provide a negative COVID-19 test result or documentation of recovery.
When do I need to get a test to travel to the US and what kind of test do I need?
What if I recently recovered from COVID-19?
A letter from your healthcare provider or a public health official that clears you to end isolation, e.g., to return to work or school, can be used to show you are cleared to travel, even if travel isn’t specifically mentioned in the letter.
What happens if my flight is delayed and it goes over the 3-day limit for testing?
If the initial departing flight in your trip is delayed before departure, you will need to get re-tested if the delay causes your test to fall outside of the 3-day pre-departure testing period by more than 24 hours.
If a connecting flight is delayed due to a situation outside of your control (e.g. weather or mechanical problem), you will need to get re-tested if the delay causes your test to fall outside of the 3-day pre-departure testing period by more than 48 hours.
Should passengers retain proof of a negative test or documentation of recovery?
Passengers are only required to retain a paper or electronic copy of their negative test result or documentation of recovery for the entirety of their itinerary. The attestation should be submitted to and retained by the airline or aircraft operator.
Yes, passengers must still retain a paper or electronic copy of the necessary documentation as federal public health officials may request to see these documents at the port of entry. State, territorial, tribal and/or local health departments in the United States may also request them under their own public health authorities.