News Flash: Limited Travel from India Due to COVID-19
Due to the recent surge in cases of COVID-19 in the Republic of India, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended that the U.S. should be protected from travelers from that area.
COVID-19 Surge in the Republic of India
According to the CDC, the Republic of India is experiencing a widespread and ongoing transmission of the virus among its population. The area has had more than 18,375,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and accounts for more than one-third of all the new cases worldwide. Within the last week of April, there were over 300,000 new daily cases of the virus. In addition, a variant of the virus has been found in the area as well.
Presidential Proclamation as a Result of COVID-19
Due to the public health conditions in the Republic of India and the recommendations of the CDC, President Biden has therefore issued the following proclamation:
“I have determined that it is in the interests of the United States to take action to restrict and suspend the entry into the United States, as nonimmigrants, of noncitizens of the United States (“noncitizens”) who were physically present within the Republic of India during the 14‑day period preceding their entry or attempted entry into the United States.”
The proclamation went into effect on May 4, 2021 and will remain in effect until terminated by the President.
Who Is Impacted by This Proclamation?
Section 2 of the proclamation outlines the individuals who are NOT impacted by this suspension and limitation on entry to the U.S. Those individuals include:
- Lawful permanent residents of the U.S.
- Noncitizen nationals of the U.S.
- Noncitizen spouse of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.
- Noncitizen who is the parent or legal guardian of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident (unmarried and under the age of 21).
- Noncitizen sibling of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident (both unmarried and under the age of 21).
- Noncitizen child, foster child, or ward of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, or a prospective adoptee entering the U.S. on an IR-4 or IH-4 visa.
- Noncitizen invited by the U.S. Government to aid with containment or mitigation of the virus.
- Noncitizen traveling as a nonimmigrant on a C-1, D, or C-1/D nonimmigrant visa as a crewmember or any noncitizen traveling to the U.S. as air or sea crew.
- Any noncitizen:
- Traveling to the U.S. on any of these visas: A-1, A-2, C-2, C-3, E-1, G-1, G-2, G-3, G-4, NATO-1 through NATO-4, or NATO-6.
- Whose travel falls within the scope of section 11 of the United Nations Headquarters Agreement.
- Noncitizen member of the U.S. Armed Forces or a spouse or child of a member of the U.S. Armed Forces.
- Noncitizen whose entry promotes important United States law enforcement objectives.
- Noncitizen whose entry would be in the national interest.
- The U.S. Department of State has published an extensive list of individuals whose entry to the U.S. is deemed as being in the interest of the U.S. and includes fiancé(e)s, students, journalists, and certain exchange visitors, among others.
Please refer to the full text of the official proclamation for more details.
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