US Announces Plans To Reopen Land Borders in November

The United States has announced plans to reopen its land borders to nonessential travel next month. This opening will end a 19-month freeze due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

In order to enter the country, all international visitors will need to be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. 

The new rules to be announced Wednesday will allow fully vaccinated foreign nationals entry to the U.S. regardless of the reason for travel. 

Congressman Brian Higgins of New York released the following statement about the announcement:

At long last, there is action by the United States to open the doors and welcome back our Canadian neighbors.

A robust cross-border exchange between the United States and Canada is fundamental to our binational relationship and mutually beneficial to our nations’ citizens, businesses and economies. Strong vaccination rates in Canada made the continued border shutdown absurd and unjustifiable.

For months now we’ve heard from businesses that are suffering and families distraught over the separation imposed by the continued border shutdown. The sigh of relief coming from Northern Border communities following this announcement is so loud it can practically be heard on either end of the Peace Bridge.

Border communities await further details from the administration with great expectation, and I will continue to advocate for a more fully and freely open border to both governments, sooner rather than later.