As travel restrictions for Indians headed to the US lift, Visitor Insurance Plans offers enhanced protection
Tully vaccinated Indians can now travel to the United States from November 8 as the White House announced that the country would allow in foreign nationals who have taken both shots.
This makes it easier and safer for Indians to visit family in the US. Jeff Zients, the Covid Response Coordinator in the White House, said that non-US citizens will require to show proof of vaccination and a negative Covid test taken not earlier than 72 hours before departure.
The changes will be seen in early November, and the airline industry expects to see a spike in bookings. During a press briefing, Zients said, “They must show proof of vaccination prior to boarding a US-bound airplane.”
The travel and airlines industries had demanded lifting of travel restrictions. The Trump administration initially imposed the rules in March 2020, which now apply to 30-plus countries. President Joe Biden upheld the rules after taking office in January 2021.
The Biden administration is maintaining stricter rules for unvaccinated Americans returning to the US. They will require testing 24 hours before and after departure and return. Since vaccines became available, British and European officials have lifted entry bans for US citizens, but the Biden administration didn’t alter the rules.
Allowing foreign nationals into the country will have a range of impacts. A prohibition on Indians and other foreign nationals has broadly affected the airlines, restaurants, and retail industries. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will also require airlines to collect and provide passenger information to aid contact tracing.
Zients stated, “In the coming weeks, CDC will be issuing a contact tracing order requiring airlines to collect current information for each US-bound traveller, including their phone numbers and email addresses.”
Jonathan Root, senior VP at Moody’s Investors Service, said in an emailed statement, “Leisure bookings for the holidays from inbound tourist visits and non-US citizens visiting friends and relatives will accelerate in upcoming weeks. We also now expect a stronger increase in business travel by the first quarter of 2022 than would have occurred if the borders remained closed.”
There will be a few exemptions – children are not yet eligible for vaccination – but full policy details have not been issued yet. The airlines industry has applauded the US decision, which will open up those carriers that were banned from flying to the country last year.
Chiranth Nataraj at Visitor Guard® said, “Family travel to the US from India has been very limited in 2020-21, the new travel rules and the availability of visitor health insurance policies with Covid coverage should make it easier and safer for relatives to visit family in the US.”
The president of Airlines for America, Nicholas Calio, said in a statement, “US airlines have been strong advocates for a stringent, consistent policy and are eager to safely reunite the countless families, friends and colleagues who have not seen each other in nearly two years, if not longer.”
In June, Canada, the US, the UK, Mexico, and the EU declared that they would study how to ease international travel restrictions and reopen borders safely.
Though the recent announcement came after the peak summer holiday season, it could increase the travel demand at the year-end. Generally, airlines use their biggest planes for international trips, but this trend could change if international trips demand rises with the new rules.
Entry to the US will be relaxed for 33 countries that are not allowed direct entry currently. The nations that are removed from the restricted list are the Schengen area, India, Brazil, China, Ireland, South Africa, Iran, and the UK.
With this latest policy, travel to the US will become trouble-free for Indians and other international visitors with only proof of double vaccination and negative Covid test reports required. Quarantine on arrival has been removed.
About Visitor Guard®
The Visitor Guard® website provides the best travel insurance value for visitors to the US, Canada, and elsewhere. It is operated by The Guard Company LLC, based in Virginia, US. The Guard Company LLC holds a VA insurance agency licence, # 135729, and the owners of the company have served the insurance industry since 2003.
Contact Details:
Address: The Guard Company LLC, 4870 Sadler Road, Suite 300, Glen Allen, VA 23060, US
Ph: +1 (804) 325-1385
Email: contact@visitorguard.com, Website: https://www.visitorguard.com/
