The Centers for Disease Control Prevention (CDC) has updated its requirements for international travelers flying to the United States. Travelers must now provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test or COVID-19 repair before flying. This order enters into force on 26 January 2021.
These new guidelines apply to any air passenger two years of age or older. This includes anyone traveling to the U.S., including U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents.
Several presidential proclamations have imposed restrictions on the entry of certain travelers to the US in an effort to help slow the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Some foreign nationals who have been in certain countries for the past two weeks are still unable to enter the US. For a complete list of countries, travelers should visit this page on the CDC website.
If you are otherwise allowed to travel, you must take a virus test (NAT or antigen test), no more than three days before your flight departs. You must show documentation of your results to the airline before boarding. This documentation may be a paper or electronic copy of your results. Travelers who have had a COVID-19 vaccine should still give a negative test result.
If you have recently recovered from COVID-19, the CDC does not recommend that you be tested again in the three months following a positive virus test, as long as you have no symptoms. But if you’ve had a positive virus test in the last three months, you can still travel. If you meet the criteria set out and can provide proof of your positive viral test results and a letter from your healthcare provider or a public health official stating that you have traveled for travel, you should be able to fly climb. The test result and letter are your ‘documentation of recovery’.
Passengers who do not provide a positive test result or documentation of recovery will be denied boarding a flight.
See the CDC website for more information.