China will end Covid restrictions and quarantining for international ...

New York CNN —

China will drop quarantine requirements for international arrivals from January 8, in a major step toward reopening its borders that have shut the country from the rest of the world for nearly three years.

Inbound travelers will only be required to show a negative Covid test result obtained within 48 hours before departure, China’s National Health Commission (NHC) said in an announcement late on Monday. Currently, they are subject to five days of hotel quarantine and three days of self-isolation at home.

Restrictions on airlines over the number of international flights and passenger capacity will also be removed, according to the announcement.

The easing of borders is part of a broader move by China to dismantles what was left of its long-held zero-Covid policy, which was abruptly abandoned early this month following nationwide protests over its heavy social and economic toll.

The sudden policy U-turn caught the public and the country’s fragile health system unprepared, causing widespread shortages of cold and fever medicine and leaving hospitals scrambling to cope with an unprecedented surge of infections.

Having rolled back lockdowns, mass testing and allowed positive patients to quarantine at home, the government is now scrapping other remaining preventive measures, including contact tracing.

China has sealed its borders since March 2020 to prevent the spread of the virus, keeping itself in global isolation even as the rest of the world reopened and moved on from the pandemic.

Foreigners have been largely banned from entering China, apart from a limited number of business or family visits. The NHC said it will further “optimize” arrangements for foreigners to visit China for work, business, study or family reasons and “provide convenience” for their visa applications.

The scrapping of travel restrictions is also a big relief for Chinese nationals studying or working abroad. Those who could not afford the soaring prices of flight tickets, lengthy hotel quarantines or onerous testing requirements have not been able to go home for three years.

Authorities also vowed to resume outbound tourism for Chinese citizens in an orderly manner, depending on the international Covid situation and the capacity of various domestic services – although it offered no time line or details on implementation.

On Chinese social media, many celebrated the long-awaited relaxation on international travel. Ctrip, a travel booking site in China, said searches for popular overseas tourist destinations on the platform jumped 10 times within an hour of the announcement of the new policy.

Others lamented the suffering, loss and missed opportunities over the past years.

“How many people who used to straddle the borders, from overseas students to workers making a living in Africa, had to change their life plans? How many families had been separated and barred from seeing their loved ones for one last time? How many three years do we have in our lives? These three years have changed us forever,” a Chinese journalist wrote on microblogging site Weibo.

China’s top health authority made the sweeping announcement Monday as an action plan for the downgrading of its management of Covid.

Since 2020, China has classified Covid as a Category B infectious disease but treated it as a Category A disease, putting it on par with bubonic plague or cholera and empowering local authorities to impose lockdowns and other restrictions. Now, it will be treated as a Category B disease, in the same category as HIV and bird flu.

The commission also changed the official Chinese name of Covid from “novel coronavirus pneumonia” to “novel coronavirus infection,” an amendment it said is “more in line with the current characteristics and danger level of this disease.”

“The less-deadly Omicron variant has become the dominant strain of SARS-Cov-2, and only a very small number of cases developed to pneumonia,” NHC said in the statement.

China’s top leaders have signaled recently that they would shift focus back to growth next year and have bet on the relaxation of pandemic restrictions to lift the economy.

China’s current focus is to prepare sufficient medical resources, according to the NHC statement. Big and middle size cities need to quickly transform their “Fangcang”, makeshift centralized Covid quarantine facilities, into designated hospitals with enough health workers staffed, NHC added.

NHC also didn’t completely rule out the possibility for temporary and local restriction measures going forward.

“As we manage the outbreaks, we should pay special attention to real-time global assessment of the outbreak’s intensity – pressure on the health system and general situation of the society – and take appropriate lawful measures to limit people’s group activities and movement in a flexible way to flatten the curve,” it said in the statement, adding that lockdowns might be re-imposed at nursing homes if the outbreak is severe.

– CNN’s Selina Wang and Laura He contributed to this report

Yong Xiong Xiaofei Xu Nectar Gan
Yong Xiong
Xiaofei Xu
Nectar Gan

China eases some of its Covid restrictions, in significant step toward ...

CNN —

China announced sweeping changes to its national pandemic response on Wednesday, the clearest and most significant sign yet that the central government is moving away from its strict zero-Covid approach that prompted protests across the country.

In a statement reported by state broadcaster CCTV, China’s State Council unveiled 10 new guidelines that loosen some restrictions – most notably, allowing home quarantine and largely scrapping the health QR code that has been mandatory for entering most public places.

Local governments had already taken steps this week that indicated a possible change in direction – including some major cities loosening requirements on Covid testing.

But this is the first official change in Covid policy on a national level – a notable turnaround by Beijing, which for the past three years has insisted that unwavering restrictions are the only effective way to stamp out the highly transmissible virus.

Here are some of the biggest changes.

QR codes scrapped

People shopping at a supermarket in Urumqi, China, on December 5. CNS/AFP/Getty Images

Since early in the pandemic, China has used health codes on mobile phones to track individuals’ health statuses. The color of these codes – in red, amber or green – decides whether users can leave their homes, use public transport and enter public places, or potentially need to quarantine.

Under the guidelines released Wednesday, people will be able to enter most places without showing a negative test result or their health code – a significant step after nearly three years of disruption to people’s daily routines and livelihoods.

Only a few exceptions will still require these checks, including nursing homes, medical institutions and secondary schools. Businesses can now determine their own prevention and control policies, the report added.

Home quarantine allowed

In another massive change, asymptomatic Covid patients or those with mild symptoms will be allowed to quarantine at home instead of being taken to a government facility, unless they choose otherwise.

Patients whose condition deteriorates will be transferred to hospital for treatment, the report said. Close contacts can also quarantine at home.

Throughout the pandemic, Chinese residents have described the chaos and stress of going into quarantine camps, many saying it was unclear when they would be allowed to leave, and others complaining of crowded or poor conditions.

In several cases, health workers reportedly killed the pets of those taken to government quarantine, citing health risks – triggering outrage on Chinese social media each time. Others criticized the policy after reports earlier this year of elderly residents being forced out of their homes in the middle of the night for transport to quarantine.

Man dragged out of home after allegedly refusing to go to quarantine facility 00:59 - Source: CNN

Limits on lockdown

The new guidelines also urge authorities to “ensure the normal functioning of society and basic medical services,” saying areas that aren’t designated high-risk should not restrict people’s movements or close businesses.

Lockdowns are only allowed in “high-risk areas,” and even then, should be “promptly” lifted if no new cases are found for five consecutive days, it said. It added that authorities are forbidden from blocking fire escapes, apartment or building entrances, and other gates, so residents can still evacuate and seek medical attention if needed.

This particular guideline comes at a particularly sensitive time, with China still reeling from a wave of rare public protest in late November and early December, that had been triggered by a deadly fire in the far western Xinjiang region. Public fury had swept the nation after videos of the incident appeared to show lockdown measures had delayed firefighters from reaching the victims.

During the protests, thousands across the country took to the streets to call for an end to lockdowns and other zero-Covid measures – with some voicing broader grievances against censorship and the ruling Communist Party’s authoritarian leadership.

'Chilling': Protester tells CNN what the atmosphere is like in China 03:57 - Source: CNN

Vaccination plan

The State Council on Wednesday also emphasized the need to accelerate Covid vaccination among the elderly, saying all locations should be “administrating as many vaccinations as possible.”

While the Omicron variant is milder than previous strains and China’s overall vaccination rate is high, experts say even a small number of severe cases among vulnerable and under-vaccinated groups like the elderly could overwhelm hospitals if infections spike across the country of 1.4 billion.

More than 86% of China’s population over 60 are fully vaccinated, according to China’s National Health Commission. That leaves around 25 million who have not received any shot, according to a comparison of official population figures and November 28 vaccination data. But booster rates are lower, with more than 45 million of the fully vaccinated elderly yet to receive an additional shot.

For the most at-risk over 80 age group, around two-thirds were fully vaccinated, but only 40% had received booster shots as of November 11, according to state media.

Domestic travel

The rules also make domestic travel within China easier, with cross-regional travelers no longer needing to provide a negative test result or their health code – or test upon arrival.

These former requirements, as well as other travel restrictions such as provincial border closures and provincial train and bus suspensions, have made domestic travel difficult over the last few years.

For the many in China who left their hometowns to find work in other cities and provinces, that meant being separated from family for long stretches – or being stranded far from home without an income during snap lockdowns.

Residents line up for Covid tests in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China on December 1. CFOTO/Future Publishing/Getty Images

In recent days, some social media users have pointed out that Lunar New Year is just a month away – the country’s biggest annual holiday, a time when people typically travel home to gather with family, akin to the American Thanksgiving.

For some, the prospect of mass nationwide travel has raised concern of the virus spreading once more. Others, long fatigued with the toll of zero-Covid, greeted the news with relief.

“I haven’t been home for Chinese New Year for two years now, I’m crying,” one person said on Weibo. Another wrote: “It’s been a long time. Welcome home.”

Medicine, schools, and monitoring

A few other guidelines are also likely to ease the transition away from zero-Covid toward a less disruptive model.

For instance, schools without Covid outbreaks are now asked to carry out “normal offline teaching activities,” and to reopen on-campus facilities such as cafeterias, libraries and sports venues. Schools with Covid cases can continue “normal teaching and living,” as long as they designate certain “risk areas” with control measures.

The guidelines also emphasize the need to make medicine widely accessible, dropping restrictions that previously made it difficult to buy cold and fever medication in pharmacies. Since early in the pandemic, China has required a prescription and negative Covid test to buy these.

Perhaps reflecting public concern that the relaxation in rules could cause a surge in cases, residents have rushed to drug stores, with reports last week that cold and fever medicines were flying off shelves.

The State Council also urged doctors and local medical institutions to continue closely monitoring the health situation of key populations, including the risks posed to elderly or immunocompromised residents.

Some experts have warned that a broader reopening inevitably brings health risks, especially to those vulnerable groups.

“The key risk when countries decide to move away from a zero-Covid policy is really the strain this will exert on the health care system,” said Ruklanthi de Alwis, deputy director for the Centre for Outbreak Preparedness at the Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore.

Hong Kong removes international travel quarantine after more than ...

Hong Kong CNN —

The Hong Kong government has announced the ending of formal quarantine for international travelers after more than two and a half years of stringent pandemic controls.

Under new rules that will take effect from September 26, incoming travelers will be required to undergo three days of self-monitoring on arrival.

The Hong Kong government has faced considerable pressure from its business community and some public health officials to loosen restrictions amid a faltering economy, an outflow of foreigners and concerns that the financial hub, once known as “Asia’s World City,” was being left behind as the rest of the world moved on from the pandemic.

Baby with Covid separated from family and quarantined alone in Hong Kong 03:41 - Source: CNN

Hong Kong’s Chief Executive John Lee said in a much anticipated press conference on Friday that the city’s infection numbers have stabilized, allowing for the removal of quarantine.

“We hope to give the maximum room to reconnect Hong Kong, and to revitalize our economy,” Lee said.

Incoming travelers will be able to do their three days of self-monitoring at home or a place of their own choice. During this time they will be able to go outside but will be restricted from some places.

Arrivals will no longer need to provide a negative PCR test before boarding a plane. However, they will need to provide a negative rapid antigen test (RAT) 24 hours before they board.

During the three-day monitoring period, people will be assigned an amber color under the city’s digital health code, which will prevent them from entering places such as bars or restaurants.

They will need to do PCR tests on days 2, 4 and 6 after arrival, and an RAT test every day for seven days after arrival.

The policy shift came after Japan announced that it will re-open its borders from October 11 and after Taiwan said it aims to scrap its mandatory quarantine on October 13 if the island has passed the peak of its latest Omicron BA-5 outbreak.

Questions about when the city would loosen restrictions have grown more pointed as two major international events, the Hong Kong Sevens rugby tournament and a global banking conference, were slated for November and seen as a way to revive the beleaguered city, which has been rocked in recent years by pro-democracy protests and an ensuing crackdown on civil liberties by Beijing.

While various governments brought in border controls following the outbreak of the pandemic, most have since rolled back the measures, including Singapore, which typically vies with Hong Kong to attract foreign business and talent.

But unlike other global hubs, Hong Kong’s Covid-19 policies have long been seen as closely tied to mainland China, where Beijing continues to maintain a stringent zero-Covid policy and border quarantines, with no sign of easing as stamping out infection remains a top priority.

Calls for the international border controls to be loosened under the leadership of Lee’s predecessor Carrie Lam, who left office June 30, were stymied by a competing demand to open quarantine-free travel to the mainland – a proposition that has yet gone unfulfilled.

A public signal of Beijing’s support for Hong Kong’s new policy route came on September 20, when the deputy head of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office Huang Liuquan said the Hong Kong government had been coordinating its policies in line with its local situation and adjustments did not need to be “overinterpreted.”

While the new policy for international arrivals in Hong Kong may not be a harbinger of imminent change in mainland policy, it is a mark of divergent situations on each side of the border.

Though the city kept local cases to a minimum for the first two years of the pandemic, Hong Kong experienced an explosive outbreak of the highly infectious Omicron variant earlier this year and has not revived a zero-Covid stance since. Instead, the city has continued to clock between hundreds and thousands of daily cases. Officials records show over 1.7 million cases have been reported in the city of 7.4 million, though experts believe the real number is higher.

In mainland China, in contrast, the vast majority of the country has yet to be exposed to the virus – placing its population at a deficit when it comes to natural immunity from infection, a concern for health officials there who fear the strain of a widescale outbreak on the health care system.

Hong Kong’s new measures comes more than 900 days after the city first enacted border restrictions in March 2020 and nearly two years after it mandated hotel quarantine for all international arrivals in December 2020. At its longest, the quarantine period stretched to 21 days. Travelers who tested positive during quarantine were moved to designated facilities, including, at times, government-run camps.

The program became increasingly controversial among the public after Covid-19 vaccines became widely available, local case numbers rose and places with similar systems like New Zealand and Australia opened their borders.

This summer a dearth of available hotel rooms and limited flights raised public anger as travelers risked being trapped outside the city until a free room opened up if their itinerary was disrupted, for example by catching Covid-19 or having a flight rescheduled.

Certain restrictions have been eased in recent months. In May non-Hong Kong residents were permitted to enter the city from overseas for the first time in more than two years, while a scheme that saw some flights with Covid-positive passengers suspended was scrapped in July.

Earlier this summer, Lee’s administration reduced quarantine from one week to three days, plus an additional four days of health monitoring, during which arrivals are not allowed to go to places including bars, gyms and restaurants.

Hotel quarantine and pre-flight testing requirements had been seen as a remaining significant hurdle to travel into the city, though questions remain over what role the new plan will play in reviving the city’s once vibrant tourism industry.

Simone Mccarthy Kathleen Magramo
Simone Mccarthy
Kathleen Magramo

Hong Kong says it's back open for business. Will the world buy it ...

Hong Kong CNN —

At a glitzy finance summit in Hong Kong this week, the city’s leader triumphantly told a room packed with top Wall Street executives that the Asian hub was back in business. “The worst is behind us,” he declared.

Two days later, tens of thousands of rugby fans descended on the city’s largest stadium for the Hong Kong Sevens, its biggest (and usually booziest) annual sporting event, which had been suspended since 2019 due to political unrest, and, later, Covid-19.

The two high-profile international events sent a clear message: After almost three years of border closures, mandatory quarantines, and restrictions on businesses and social gatherings, Hong Kong was finally reopening.

For much of the pandemic, the semi-autonomous Chinese city maintained some of the region’s most stringent restrictions, including one of the world’s longest mandatory quarantines for international arrivals. With the economy tanking and concerns mounting that Hong Kong was being left behind as the world moved on, the government finally threw open the city’s doors in September and ended formal quarantine to the relief of millions of people.

“We were, we are and we will remain one of the world’s leading financial centers,” vowed Hong Kong leader John Lee at Wednesday’s summit, attended by more than 200 investors from 20 countries. “You can take that to the bank.”

Hong Kong leader John Lee during the Global Financial Leaders Investment Summit on November 2. Sebastian Ng/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images

Speaking on Friday ahead of the kickoff of the Sevens, Hong Kong Rugby Union CEO Robbie McRobbie hailed the return of the tournament as a “catalyst, watershed,” a symbol that “Hong Kong is still a vibrant, resilient city.”

But experts warn the push to revive Hong Kong, while welcome and long overdue, faces many challenges ahead.

The past few years of isolation, which coincided with an ongoing political crackdown, have taken their toll, they said. Despite what Lee and other leaders insist, the Hong Kong that’s reopening is not the same city the world knew before the pandemic – and the true impact of that change remains to be seen.

Push to reopen

Last year, as many destinations reopened to travelers and relaxed restrictions, Hong Kong appeared to be stuck in a different reality.

Restaurants, bars and gyms were frequently forced to shutter or limit their hours. Residential buildings were placed under lockdown for days. At one point, public gatherings were capped at two people. And most residents didn’t leave the city for years, unable or unwilling to spend up to three weeks in hotel quarantine at their own cost upon return.

Businesses were hit hard. The Sevens tournament makes up 95% of the Hong Kong Rugby Union’s revenue, so “we’ve had three years of redundancies and cutbacks,” said McRobbie.

Many disillusioned residents chose to leave permanently; this past year, the city recorded its steepest drop in population since records began in 1961. Companies, too, began eyeing other locations – most notably Singapore, Hong Kong’s longtime regional rival.

But Hong Kong authorities, eager to reopen the border with mainland China – which still shows no sign of easing its strict zero-Covid policy that aims to stamp out infections – remained reluctant to loosen restrictions for fear cases would spike and close that door.

Then, a severe outbreak fueled by the highly contagious Omicron variant at the start of the year put an end to Hong Kong’s hope of maintaining zero daily cases.

Under mounting public pressure, the government lifted flight bans with certain countries and shortened hotel quarantine in March – but these small concessions did little to lure people back.

According to media reports in August, some Wall Street banks warned their executives would only attend Wednesday’s finance summit if there was quarantine-free travel – a widely-speculated factor behind the government’s ultimate decision to scrap quarantine.

Finance leaders in the city breathed a sigh of relief at the news.

“We’ve been closed for too long,” said Sebastian Paredes, CEO of Singaporean bank DBS’ Hong Kong operations. “We are beginning to open up following the other parts of the world that have already opened up. And this is a tangible demonstration that Hong Kong is back.”

Attendees at the Global Financial Leaders' Investment Summit in Hong Kong on November 2. Paul Yeung/Bloomberg/Getty Images

Alicia Garcia-Herrero, chief Asia Pacific Economist of French investment bank Natixis, agreed the week’s dual big events were “a big sign of Hong Kong moving away from Covid restrictions to a new world.”

However, the remaining restrictions pose a competitive disadvantage.

International visitors must take Covid tests for seven straight days after arrival in Hong Kong, and for the first three days are barred from restaurants, bars and gyms. But the testing doesn’t stop there – bars and clubs that don’t serve food require proof of a negative rapid antigen test from all patrons.

A mask mandate – indoors and outdoors – is also in effect, though photos of the finance summit show attendees sitting at tables without face coverings. They included the city’s Financial Secretary Paul Chan, who was declared a “recovered case” by health authorities after testing positive for Covid upon arrival from a trip abroad on Tuesday.

Hong Kong's Financial Secretary Paul Chan makes a speech at the Global Financial Leaders Investment Summit in Hong Kong on November 2, 2022. Peter Parks/AFP/Getty Images

These rules are “still largely prohibiting the overseas travel market,” said McRobbie, the Hong Kong rugby chief. Before the pandemic, roughly half the fans at the Sevens came from abroad; this year, that number is “negligible,” he said.

The long stretch of isolation and financial hardship has also created challenges for companies hoping for a comeback. Many people have left the sports and events sectors in the past few years in favor of more stable jobs, leaving the industry short staffed, McRobbie added.

This partial reopening has left the city in an awkward Covid limbo, said Vera Yuen, an economics lecturer at the University of Hong Kong.

“If we want to open up our border with the Mainland China, our restriction is too lenient … so it’s not allowed,” she said. “But then if we want to open ourselves up to the world, we are still too stringent. We are now stuck in between, hoping to see better policies in the future.”

Crackdown and tensions

Others also warn of growing political challenges. “Clouds are certainly coming to Hong Kong from different angles,” said banker Garcia-Herrero, pointing to the West’s response to the sweeping national security law Beijing imposed on Hong Kong in 2020.

Under this law, pro-democracy activists have been jailed or exiled, independent newsrooms shut down, and former lawmakers targeted. Meanwhile, authorities have changed school curricula to emphasize Chinese history and culture, and pushed greater economic cooperation in the Greater Bay Area, a national scheme to link China’s southern Guangdong province closer with Hong Kong and Macao.

The law has been widely criticized by foreign governments and human rights organizations, with the United States sanctioning Lee and other top Hong Kong officials over their role in the crackdown. Hong Kong authorities have repeatedly claimed the law has restored order and stability after the city’s 2019 anti-government, pro-democracy protests.

For the US and the European Union, the national security law and crackdown represent “a change in the rules of the game in what was agreed upon,” said Garcia-Herrero.

These rising tensions could spell trouble for Hong Kong’s trade and diplomatic relationships with other countries. Hong Kong is afforded more freedoms than other Chinese cities, thus has long been seen as a gateway between the mainland and the West – a position that looks increasingly precarious as its civil liberties erode.

“The West would now understand that Hong Kong is not only part of China, but it’s closer to China than before,” said Yuen, the economics lecturer. “The worst scenario is that the West would treat Hong Kong as the same as the mainland China, and then Hong Kong would suffer the kind of sanctions.”

And this drawing closer together is likely to continue. In an effort to stem the brain drain, the government is spending 30 billion Hong Kong dollars ($3.8 billion) to draw in global businesses and fresh talent – which Yuen said is expected to “attract a lot of mainland workers” who may be eager to escape an even more dire job market across the border.

Middle man, again

Despite these geopolitical frictions, some argue Hong Kong’s innate advantages will allow a revival – even if the city is heading in a different direction than before.

Asia doesn’t have many other financial centers that can match Hong Kong’s open regulatory environment, low salaries tax and existing financial infrastructure – “therefore, even if the image may be tarnished a little bit, there are not many other places to go,” said Garcia-Herrero.

Yuen echoed this point, saying the city’s proximity to China remains appealing to businesses and investors hoping to tap into the vast and lucrative mainland market.

Travelers in the departure hall at Hong Kong International Airport following the government's scrapping of hotel quarantine, on September 26. Lam Yik/Bloomberg/Getty Images

“We can plug into China and sort of maintain the status as having a little bit of autonomy, and (being) different from them, given different Covid policies and (systems of) governance,” she said.

But, both experts acknowledged, the path forward is now fraught with new risks. International businesses may come to Hong Kong, but be warier in how much they invest in the city, keeping in mind the threat of US sanctions and regional conflict.

Today’s Hong Kong is increasingly under Beijing’s control, with China growing more assertive on the world stage as leader Xi Jinping enters a third term in power surrounded by loyalists. Those rising tensions between China and its rivals have caused growing divides “as the world deglobalizes,” said Garcia-Herrero – effects that inevitably spill over into Hong Kong, caught in the middle.

“It will never be, in my opinion, what it used to be in terms of the openness of Hong Kong to both the West and the East,” she said.

Jessie Yeung Kristie Lu Stout
Jessie Yeung
Kristie Lu Stout

'No point in getting irate, the queue will still be there': International ...

A rush of international travelers headed into the United States Monday as the COVID-19 travel ban ended and people from dozens of countries begin flooding in, more than 600 days since they were barred from entry.

That's more than 86 weeks. Nearly 20 months. Enough time for grandchildren to be born, or for couples to lose track of the number of nights they fell asleep to FaceTime calls with their partner. Long enough to lose hope in a U.S. vacation or honeymoon after having to delay plans over and over.

Lines began forming at the Canada and Mexico borders well before daybreak, and eager travelers boarded flights from Europe, including dueling departures from London's Heathrow airport. The U.S.-Mexico border is typically the world's busiest border crossing, with about 350 million people crossing annually.

► US drops travel ban Nov. 8:Expect bottlenecks at airports under strict entry rules

►Vacation travel:Hawaii opening for fully vaccinated international travelers, but some virus restrictions linger

Learn more: Best travel insurance

The new U.S. entry requirements require foreign air passengers to test negative for the coronavirus before boarding a plane to the country and, if they are 18 or older, show proof of full vaccination. Travelers entering the U.S. on land or by ferry for nonessential reasons must show proof of vaccination. Although federal officials had warned of the potential for long lines at entry points, there seemed to be few delays as visitors arrived by land and air.

It's a long-awaited moment for travelers from more than 30 countries. The U.S. initiated its first COVID-19-related travel ban on China in February 2020. By the end of March, it had added travel bans on the United Kingdom, Ireland, Iran and 26 countries in the European Schengen Area. Brazil, India and South Africa were later added to the list.

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Federal officials warned of delays: 'No staff around to help'

The smooth sailing for international travelers at JFK Airport ended Monday afternoon as arrivals ramped up after a relatively quiet morning. Passengers arriving from England on Virgin Atlantic reported lines of up to two hours to clear Customs and Border Protection processing due to the arrival of multiple flights from the United Kingdom. CBP officials had warned lines would grow from recent levels given the return of international passengers.

Paul Richards, the 58-year-old head of safeguarding for Stoke City F.C., arrived on a Virgin Atlantic flight from London at 3:35 p.m. ET for vacation and to celebrate his son's 21st birthday. He ultimately waited about two hours before being cleared into the country.

"No point in getting irate, the queue will still be there,'' he said as he waited.

Marc Evans, a 42-year-old police officer, flew from Manchester, England, with his wife and two children to visit family for the first time in 20 months, ultimately waiting more than an hour.

"It was apparently a PR stunt to show the USA was back open but seems they weren't concerned about the queues at customs," Evans said via Twitter message, noting that they have a friend waiting to pick them up at the airport.

Evans said he was frustrated as his family has been told to wait as other families with children have been able to jump the queue. There are "no staff around to help," he said.

But the problem extends beyond a pesky wait, according to Evans. "Other people were getting connecting flights and told to stay in line," he said.

— Morgan Hines, Dawn Gilbertson, USA TODAY

'What happens here, only happens here': McCarran welcomes tourists

When the first U.K. passengers arrived in Las Vegas on Monday afternoon, McCarran International Airport made sure to give them a "fabulous Las Vegas welcome," complete with waving showgirls as the plane taxied to its gate and free T-shirts and hats promoting the city's new slogan, "What happens here, only happens here."

Karl Watson, 37, of London plans to spend his week in Nevada visiting national parks and watching a Bryan Adams performance. But his first stop? A bar.

"First of all, I'm going to get really drunk," he said.

Watson said getting through customs and security was a long process, with the lines taking more than an hour to get through, but the Las Vegas airport was still "buzzing" with excitement when the plane landed.

"Everyone on the plane was cheering when the plane landed," Watson said. "Usually when people clap I'm like, shut up, you don't do that when a bus parks. But this time, it was exciting. It was really cool."

"It's just such a fun place. Vegas never stops," added Ann Kirk, 64 of Birmingham, England who landed in Las Vegas with her husband Mark.

The two plan to spend five weeks in the U.S., but that's nothing compared to two- or three-month vacations they used to take before the travel ban. The couple usually spends most of their time at a home they own in Lake Havasu City in Arizona, and already have their next visit planned for February.

"It's the warmth. The heat. The sunshine," Mark Kirk, 62, said.

"We've really missed it," Ann Kirk added.

— Bailey Schulz, USA TODAY

Changes affect most air travelers

Arriving at Hartsfield-Jackson's Atlanta International Airport from Korea, Seongbin Woo, 26, said his travel experience for his first U.S. visit was "not that smooth," largely because he had to rush to get test results back before departing Seoul. Although Korean nationals were not banned from travel to the U.S., anyone arriving as of Monday must follow new protocols, including showing proof of vaccination.

"I heard that everyone here is not wearing masks, so it's good for me because I am tired of masks," he said. He added he is still concerned about getting sick.

Ivana Pedroso, 30, tearily reunited with her parents as they arrived from Sao Paulo, Brazil. Pedroso lives in Greensboro, North Carolina, where she's a graduate student at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. She had been able to visit Brazil several times, but this is the first time her parents will see the house she bought.

"It's great. Exciting. I have been waiting for this moment for two years because she doesn't know my house," Pedroso said. "They don't know where I live. So I've been waiting for this moment for two years."

Pedroso said her parents will stay for her graduation in December, on a trip they've been rescheduling for two frustrating years. Her parents said the flights and border control checks went smoothly, and they were confident they would be safe.

"She was a little bit nervous, but since they followed the protocols and all the companies, Delta Airlines and the airport followed the protocols with COVID, everything was OK," Pedroso said of her mom. "Sanitizers and masks all the time. They're good."

Waiting for "my guy," Deb Halleck, 61, wore a Manchester United jersey waiting for Stephen Donnelly to arrive in Atlanta from England via Amsterdam. Wearing a similar jersey, Donnelly strode through the terminal and swept her into a hug that seemed to make time stop. The two had been friends for years but this summer realized they wanted more.

"We've just been friends and recently, more than that, so just excited," Halleck said moments before he arrived. "I can't wait."

Since July, they've talked on the phone every day and FaceTimed. Every week they make dinner together, long distance, and share a meal. Donnelly also buys her flowers and takes a picture and sends them to her weekly. Donnelly, 62, said the mood was apprehensive on the plane due to the new rules, but was happy to finally be in the U.S. with Halleck.

What are their plans now? "She's in charge. I just go with the flow," Donnelly said.

By late afternoon the arrivals terminal at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport began filling with loved ones awaiting passengers on a string of flights from cities like Amsterdam, Frankfurt and London, along with other places not previously banned.

All eyes were either staring down the corridor at the sliding doors coming from customs or glued to their phones. Locals eagerly checked to see how much longer it would take for their family, friends and significant others to make it through customs.

One woman remained dedicated to holding up a sign that said #HappyMama while another family, whose kids had been holding up "Welcome Home" signs set them down, sitting in the floor to wait. They had waited this long. What's a little longer?

— Eve Chen, USA TODAY

Romance reignited and 'already have Disneyland booked'

At LAX, the happy emotions ran the gamut — hugs and kisses, laughter and tears — when Damia Suuck, 20, of Claremont, California, saw her German boyfriend, Eric Reuschel, 19, for the first time in almost a year as he came off the plane from Frankfurt.

"We were waiting, waiting. We booked so many tickets," said Suuck, who was waiting at LAX with her mother, Fadia Suuck.

Damia Suuck, who has German and American citizenship, was able to visit her boyfriend in Germany last Christmas, but Monday was the first day he could visit the U.S. They began dating about two years ago when she was living briefly in Germany.

"We haven't seen each other in almost 12 months, so to meet again, I can't explain it. It's crazy," said Reuschel.

Their plans for Reuschel's one-month visit?

"We already have Disneyland booked. That was No. 1," Damia Suuck said.

— Bill Keveney, USA TODAY

Scattered delays create a 'stressful' experience

Julien Yomtov of Paris said he faced several frustrating delays leaving France – first at security and then again when the plane's departure was delayed an hour. He said he's excited to get back to Las Vegas, traveling via Los Angeles, to play in the World Series of Poker, which he normally does annually with his brother.

"The experience was stressful because the employees are (not) ready to welcome so many travelers," he told USA TODAY via Whatsapp. "Hope in LAX it will be easier."

Although Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the world, the international terminal's arrival hall on Monday, which was almost tranquil and relatively empty through early afternoon. Many fellow passengers made connections to other cities, and those who made Atlanta their final destination described their trips as smooth and even "better than before."

— Bailey Schulz, Eve Chen, USA TODAY

Trip delayed four times

In Los Angeles, Jan Hutten tiptoed up to his sister-in-law Jeannette Gross for a surprise hug, kicking off a family reunion three years in the waiting. His wife Henny followed with a hug of her own, grasping her sister as the Huttens arrived from Amsterdam for a three-week visit. The two had tried to visit four times previously, but had to keep rescheduling due to the ongoing travel ban.

Gross and her son, Gary Loth live in Valencia, north of Los Angeles, and will be taking the Huttens for sushi and Mexican food in sunny Los Angeles — a welcome change from the rainy weather they left behind.

"Fantastic! Finally," Henny Hutten said in Dutch, her native language, when asked how it felt to get together with her sister after having to settle for Skype calls in the three years since they last saw each other.

"I'm very happy to see her," Gross said, adding they usually get together once a year. The separation "was very painful, not being able to hug her. We Skyped, but it's not the same."

Henny Hutten offered a one-word response when asked about the sibling separation: "Terrible!"

The Huttens were supposed to visit in April 2020 to celebrate Gross's retirement. That was the first COVID-related postponement. After more reservations and cancellations, Gross quickly texted her sister when the Nov. 8 opening was announced.

"I said, ‘Change your flight. We're opening up.' She did. She got right on the ball," Gross said.

— Bill Keveney, USA TODAY

Families begin to reunite: 'Everything is so exciting'

Simone Thies of Cologne, Germany, is flying in to see her fiancé, who she has seen just twice since the ban began-- once during a trip to Aruba in June, and again when he visited her in Germany in August. Before those trips, they had been separated a year. Thies stayed overnight in a Düsseldorf hotel near the airport before catching her Delta flight, headed ultimately to Lincoln, Nebraska.

"I want to avoid stress because everything is so exciting," she said.

Getting through the line at the Düsseldorf airport was quick — "5 minutes at most," she said — but she had one more stop in Paris before crossing the Atlantic.

There, she had to show her passport, proof of vaccination and results of her negative coronavirus test. Even as the first person in line, the wait took about 20 minutes because one employee was still learning which documents to check, she said.

"The line is very long, but (I'm) done for now," she said before departing.

Alan Marques said the border closure for tourists nearly ended his relationship with his boyfriend, who is a flight attendant. They've been together four years, but hadn't seen each other in four months, until Marques, 33, flew in from Sao Paulo to Atlanta on Monday. He said the separation has been "very difficult and distressing," because his boyfriend's visits to Brazil have only been for a few hours, instead of the days they are used to.

How does it feel to be properly reunited? "So good," he said.

— Bailey Schulz, Eve Chen, USA TODAY

Mexico border busy ... then quiet

After a busy few hours after midnight ET at the El Paso-Ciudad Juárez border crossing in Texas, the normally bustling border crossing fell quiet. Traffic was minimal at crossings between El Paso and Ciudad Juárez and passenger vehicles zipped up the El Paso's Bridge of the Americas freely, no line to stop them.

"I've sold hardly anything," said newspaper salesman José Fierro, whose rack was still filled with El Diario newspapers and PM tabloids at 8 a.m. He had been there on the curb since 3 a.m., he said. There was 6 a.m. traffic, then nothing. "Everyone crossed yesterday, panicked about how the lines were going to be today."

Constantino Castellanos, 68, and his wife, Lizbeth, 62, bought quesadillas at the foot of the Bridge of the Americas, a street vendor handing over a Styrofoam tray wrapped in plastic.

They could take their time. The bridge – usually a wall of slow-moving cars and trucks – was an empty ribbon of asphalt. The border had been closed to tourists or people visiting family, although a wide variety of essential workers had been permitted to cross during the closure. During that time, Mexican nationals holding tourist cards were banned from traveling over the land border; air travel between points in the interior of both countries never ceased.

"It's been two years," said Lizbeth Castellanos. "We're going to Marshalls and Walmart."

The crossing reopened at just after midnight Eastern time. At 6 a.m. Eastern, U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported no significant crossing delays at either the Mexico or Canada borders.

Susana Hernández of Juárez was crossing for the first time since the pandemic restrictions to buy clothes in El Paso for her business. She smiled and flashed her vaccine card.

"We're happy," she said. "We're home, we feel like we're back home."

Cross-border traffic of essential travelers between El Paso and Juárez reached nearly 800,000 crossings of passenger vehicles in August, according to the Border Region Modeling Project at the University of Texas at El Paso.

"Nobody anticipated that this pandemic would last as long as it has, in terms of travel restrictions," said Hector Mancha, U.S. Customs and Border Protection director of field operations in El Paso. "People have not crossed over and visited with family in going on two years... Unfortunately, the pandemic has kept us from (reopening). I think it's overdue."

— Lauren Villagran, Martha Pskowski, El Paso Times

'Welcome back world'

Times Square was relatively quiet Monday morning as the city that never sleeps prepared to welcome vaccinated international tourists back to the U.S.

Around 8:45 a.m., the Times Square Alliance unfurled a "Welcome Back World" sign on the Red Steps in Times Square.

The Steps, considered an iconic New York landmark for tourists, had about 190,000 people walk by them each day before the pandemic, according to the Times Square Alliance, the not-for-profit group that maintains it. At the pandemic's worst, that number dropped to 30,000, and New York businesses hope the flood of tourists will boost their finances.

TJ Witham, the vice president of communications for the Times Square Alliance, told USA TODAY the alliance chose the red steps as it is an "iconic meeting place" for people visiting the Big Apple.

Chris Dickson, a 41-year-old bus scheduler from Newcastle, England, flew to New York City on Monday for 48 hours, using credit from a British Airways trip he'd had to cancel seven months ago.

Dickson planned to drop his bag at his Brooklyn hotel and start exploring the city he last visited more than two years ago.

"I just wanted to come to America at the first opportunity,'' he said. "I'm going to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, I'm going to go through Central Park, I'm going to do some running, some jogging in that area. I'm just going to enjoy the weather and enjoy being back in America.''

Mainda Kiwelu, 45, arrived in New York on the second British Airways flight of the day. She said this was her first trip to the U.S. in about five or six years, and was hoping to visit the Brooklyn Bridge and Central Park later this week, after work meetings.

"The flight was ok," Kiwelu said. "It was just a bit nerve-wracking sort of doing all the logistics for the travel and making sure the vaccination certificate, app, everything works."

— Morgan Hines, Dawn Gilbertson, USA TODAY

Dueling takeoffs from London to New York

A pair of simultaneous flights left London's Heathrow airport early Monday morning, taking off on parallel runways and following similar flight paths for New York's JFK International Airport. British Airways Flight 1 and Virgin Atlantic Flight 3 took off at 3:51 a.m. ET and landed within minutes of each other. The airlines are rivals but teamed up to commemorate the reopening of foreign travel to the U.S., and British Airways' CEO was aboard his company's flight, which touched down about 11 a.m. ET

American Airlines, which is a BA travel partner, saw bookings from London to US surge 70 percent in the past week, with a lot of the travel for remainder of 2021, said Chief Revenue Officer Vasu Raja.

Clive Wartten, who runs a business-travel group in the UK, arrived on the British Airways flight and was headed for a run in Central Park before meetings with colleagues. Wartten planned to fly home Tuesday night.

"It just feels good to be back on an airplane," he said. "There was a real buzz at the airport and aboard the aircraft, lots of cheering when we took off. It was a bit of a holiday party flight."

Wartten, who is the CEO of the Business Travel Association, later tweeted that he made it from the plane to one of New York's famed yellow taxis in just seven minutes.

"This is a big step for us to come back and open business travel with our US friends," he told USA TODAY while passing through the terminal.

British Airways CEO Sean Doyle has been pushing the Biden administration to ease travel restrictions between the UK and the US for months because it is one of the busiest travel corridors in the world. At one point during the spring, he said, the second runway at Heathrow was closed because the airport hadn't seen such a limited number of flights since World War II.

"This has been a crisis like no other,'' he said Monday after arriving in New York.

Doyle believes the border reopening took too long – the UK and European Union started welcoming US tourists back over the summer – but on Monday said he didn't want to dwell on the past. Instead, he gushed about what the reopening means to British Airways and its passengers.

"The North Atlantic is very important to British Airways and today's a very, very important turning point and milestone in the future of the country,'' he said.

Is he worried travel restrictions could return if COVID cases spike on either side of the Atlantic?

"You always have to keep an eye on things,'' he said. "But I do think that we're seeing a sort of pragmatic framework emerge across a number of jurisdictions.''

He said he hopes that that framework – basing entry requirements on vaccination and testing – remains despite any COVID trends going forward.

— Dawn Gilbertson, Morgan Hines, USA TODAY

Anticipation at airports

Ahead of the British Airways first flight arrival, family members waited in the Terminal 7 arrivals area at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, which is decked out with balloons and New York symbols including the back half of a taxicab filled with a floral arrangement and NYC-themed cookies.

Louise Erebara, from Danbury, Connecticut, arrived at the airport with her family early to welcome her sister and her sister's husband after 730 days apart.

"It's everything, we can't thank British Airways enough," a choked-up Erebara said, noting the airline paid for her relatives' flight. "They want to reunite ex-pats and they're doing it."

In Atlanta, Ari Bell, waited anxiously for her fiancé to arrive from the UK after 21 months apart. They've bridged the distance with Snapchat, video calls and texts, and she was waiting to surprise him at the airport as he starts a three-week visit that will include his first-ever Thanksgiving.

"He actually came over for a quick job interview in February, right before the shutdown, got back to London and then that March, everything closed up. So we've just kind of been hanging on a string," Bell said. "It was a little bit confusing to get him here, just because he didn't know he needed a negative (test) so that three days prior we actually had to make that last minute. And he came back negative. He's already fully vaccinated. I'm vaccinated. I got my booster yesterday, just in case — I'm just excited to see him."

Bell said she's excited to just watch a movie together — for months, they've been watching movies simultaneously but separated by the Atlantic Ocean.

"We're homebodies. We like to game together. But yeah, that's mostly what we're looking forward to — just being in the same space together," she said. "This is going to be our first Thanksgiving together, his first Thanksgiving period. He's never celebrated. So we're actually gonna make the big meal and have all my family come over. He's a little nervous. But you know, he loves my dad. They're both ex-army. So they get along great."

And Rosa Chorra, 37, eagerly awaited her parents' arrival from Spain, waiting with her 10-month-old Aurora for their plane to land in Atland. Chorra's parents missed her pregnancy and granddaughter's birth, although Chorra was able to take Aurora to visit them three months ago. She said she missed having the help they could have provided with a newborn.

"It was absolutely horrible. I think it's been the hardest time of my life. I mean, when she was born, the first months that are the hardest, and it's been tough," Chorra said.

— Dawn Gilbertson, Morgan Hines, Eve Chen, USA TODAY

Headed to Disney World

For UK resident Emma Barbour and her family, the border reopening means one thing: Florida's Disney World with their 10-year-old daughter.

They usually come annually, but put those plans on hold after 2019, and rescheduled this trip three times as they waited for the Biden administration to lift the ban. Barbour, 41, said the airports were busy but staff seemed cheerful despite long lines.

"We honestly wouldn't travel if we felt unsafe or nervous, we are fully vaccinated and will wear our masks. I definitely won't let it tarnish our time there by worrying about it," she said from Paris as they waited to board their Atlanta-bound flight.

— Eve Chen, USA TODAY

The British are coming

Sam Nagy and his family are headed to Florida, to the Universal Orlando Resort, their first trip to the U.S. since 2018. He said lines at the Manchester, England, airport were smooth, raising his hopes for the family vacation they've rescheduled four times already.

"That once-a-year trip is so much more to us than just a vacation, it honestly feels like it's ‘home' as cliché as that may be to say," said Nagy.

Paul Richards is flying from London to New York on Virgin Atlantic and described the airport scene as chaotic, with long check-in lines this morning. He is headed to New York City for vacation to celebrate his son's 21st birthday.

"They are working really hard to get people through, however, some passengers hadn't completed the attestation forms or just stood in the wrong queue,'' he said. "Once through check in, security was pretty slick.''

— Dawn Gilbertson, USA TODAY

Lines at the Canada-US border

At th Sweetgrass, Montana, border crossing, wait times climbed to 240 minutes -- four hours — according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Normal wait time is about 45 minutes.

Windsor, Ontario, Mayor Drew Dilkens said a Canadian travel requirement – having negative polymerase chain reaction test that can cost $200 – is likely to prevent many who want to drive from Ontario to Michigan from doing so.

He explained the testing provision doesn't make sense for day-trippers nor does it provide the kind of health assurance the government thinks it does because someone could easily contract the virus during their visit.

He wants to see that requirement lifted.

— Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press

How did the international travel ban start?

The travel ban barred most foreign nationals who had been in the listed countries in the past 14 days from entering the U.S., regardless of vaccination status. The country also cut off nonessential travel across the U.S. land borders with Mexico and Canada in March 2020.

It wasn't until September that the White House announced that it would end the travel ban for fully vaccinated travelers – months after many other nations reopened to U.S. tourists.

The new U.S. entry requirements, which went into effect Monday, require foreign air passengers to test negative for the virus before boarding a plane to the country and, if they are 18 or older, show proof of full vaccination. Travelers entering the U.S. on land or by ferry for nonessential reasons also need to show proof of vaccination.

As airports and border crossings get adjusted to the new travel rules, international travelers should prepare for lines.

The first flight from a country listed the travel ban is set to fly into Chicago from Dublin just before 7 a.m. CT, according to flight tracker Flight Aware and flight-data firm OAG.

Plenty more will follow; there are more than 2 million international flights scheduled to arrive in the U.S. next month, compared to just 728,820 in December of 2020, according to OAG and Flight Aware.

— Bailey Schulz, USA TODAY

► US drops travel ban:Expect bottlenecks at airports under strict entry rules

As Canada border crossing restrictions ease for some, Trudeau says ...

Associated Press

TORONTO – Pandemic restrictions on travel between Canada and the U.S. began to loosen Monday for some Canadians, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said plans to fully reopen the border would be announced over the next few weeks.

Canadian citizens and permanent residents who have had a full dose of a coronavirus vaccine approved for use in Canada can skip a 14-day quarantine that has been a requirement since March 2020. Eligible air travelers also no longer have to spend their first three days in the country at a government-approved hotel.

Restrictions barring all nonessential trips between Canada and the United States, including tourism, will remain in place until at least July 21.

Trudeau said the easing of the rules marks a "big step" toward reopening the border.

Will the US-Canada border reopen this summer? Tourists, business travelers and families anxiously await news

“We’re very hopeful that we’re going to see new steps on reopening announced in the coming weeks,” he said at a news conference in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. “We’re going to make sure that we’re not seeing a resurgence of COVID-19 cases, because nobody wants to go back to further restrictions after having done so much and sacrificed so much to get to this point.”

Julia Dunn, who landed at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport from the United States while on her way to Halifax, said she was glad the restrictions had eased.

"It’s very freeing being able to get home to family without having to spend those two weeks alone," she said.

Dunn, who is originally from Cape Breton but now lives in Houston, said she booked her trip to Canada after learning about the planned easing of quarantine rules a few weeks ago.

Trudeau said he understands how eager people are to see the border reopen but noted that the pandemic continues and "things aren’t normal yet."

"Nobody wants us to move too fast and have to reimpose restrictions as case numbers rise like we’re seeing elsewhere in the world," he said. "We need to do this right."

COVID travel restrictions: Where fully vaccinated Americans can go

Corrections & clarifications: Germany’s, Spain's and Italy's entry requirements have been updated.

As vaccination levels continue to rise in the U.S. and around the world, countries that had been off limits to foreigners for more than a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic are beginning to reopen.

On June 18, the European Union added the U.S. to a list of countries for which travel restrictions should gradually be lifted. The list applies to all American tourists, vaccinated or not, for nonessential travel.

The recommendation is not legally binding, and the decision on how and when to reopen borders is up to each individual member country.

► Europe travel restrictions for vaccinated visitors:Making sense of rules in France, Spain, Italy

Learn more: Best travel insurance

► Spain reopens: Vaccinated Americans can now visit

In April, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that fully vaccinated Americans could resume travel at low risk to themselves, though the agency still recommended against travel due to rising COVID case counts. On June 7, the agency softened its guidance for dozens of destinations, and now says travelers should make sure they are fully vaccinated before entering these countries.

Federal travel guidance:CDC, State Department downgrade travel alerts for dozens of countries

You'll still need a negative COVID test to fly back to the US

If Americans do decide to travel abroad, no matter which country they decide to visit, they'll still need to be tested for COVID within three days of an international flight back to the U.S. – even vaccinated travelers. You can find available testing sites in your destination country and turnaround times on the website for the U.S. embassy there.

Some resorts are also offering COVID testing on site to help satisfy the U.S. requirement.

► Beware: These Americans were stranded in Mexico after testing positive for COVID

About the list of countries allowing vaccinated travelers

Rules are evolving, so we've chosen to focus on countries that did not admit Americans before COVID-19 vaccines began to roll out and now are open or opening to vaccinated Americans. Keep in mind that countries' rules and plans may shift quickly, so before planning, check with your destination to find out the latest requirements.

The information below pertaining to vaccination and testing requirements comes from official sources such as government agencies (such as embassies and immigration ministries and the U.S. State Department) or official tourism websites.

If you would like to find out how much of the local population is at least partially vaccinated in a country you plan to visit, you can find the latest data on USA TODAY. Johns Hopkins University, which has tracked COVID infection and death statistics since the earliest days of the pandemic, drills down even further, with percentages for both the partially and fully vaccinated.

Europe

When will Americans be allowed back in Europe? The European Union on June 18 added the U.S. to a list of countries for which travel restrictions should gradually be lifted. The list applies to all American tourists, vaccinated or not, for nonessential travel.

The recommendation is non-binding, and national governments have authority to require test results or vaccination records and to set other entry conditions.

However, some countries had announced their own plans before the EU's recommendation, including Portugal, Spain, Austria and Greece.

And finally, while the United Kingdom does admit Americans with a negative COVID test, travelers must have a negative test result from within 72 hours of travel and quarantine for 10 days. They must also schedule follow-up tests for days 2 and 8 of their visit, though they can arrange a private test after five days to be released from quarantine early. This is required even for people who have been vaccinated. Failure to be tested can result in a fine of up to £1,000 ($1,418).

Earlier this month, airlines reiterated their plea for the U.S. and U.K. to rescind their respective travel restrictions, citing rising vaccination rates in both countries. At the G7 conference, President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson launched a travel task force that will make policy recommendations about safely reopening international travel between the U.K. and the U.S. But no specific timing was announced.

Countries that allow Americans in with a negative COVID test (and other conditions: Italy

Portugal announced June 15 that travelers 2 years and older must take a nucleic acid amplification test – such as a PCR test – within the last 72 hours before boarding, or a rapid antigen test within 24 hours of boarding.

Italy has said that Americans can enter and bypass quarantine with a negative COVID test taken no more than 48 hours prior to entry. Italy also noted visitors would be allowed to enter the country even if they've recently been in other EU countries.

Austria travel

Vaccine requirements: Vaccinated travelers need a certificate or vaccine passport. Certificates for people who received their first of two shots at least 22 days prior to entry are valid for three months; documents for people who have had both shots or are considered fully vaccinated after a single dose are good for an additional six months.

Testing requirements: Visitors who are unvaccinated or who have not had COVID need a negative PCR test no older than 72 hours or an antigen test no older than 48 hours. If you arrive without a valid negative test, you will have to take one at your own expense within 24 hours after arriving. People who have proof they have recovered from COVID in the past six months or a positive COVID antibodies test no more than three months old may enter.

Other restrictions: Travelers who arrive without a vaccination certificate, proof of recovery or negative COVID test result must complete an advance clearance form to get permission to enter.

Details: Austria official travel portal

Bulgaria travel

Vaccine requirements: Visitors need to show proof that their final dose was administered at least 14 days prior to entry may enter Bulgaria.

Testing requirements: Unvaccinated visitors over the age of 5 need a negative PCR test no older than 72 hours or an antigen test no older than 48 hours. People who have recovered from COVID need a positive PCR or antigen test taken between 15 days and 180 days prior.

Other restrictions: Look for businesses with a Safe Travels stamp from World Travel & Tourism Council

Details: U.S. Embassy, Sofia; Bulgarian government tourism site

Croatia travel

Vaccination requirements: Tourists must present a vaccine certificate showing they received their final dose or single dose at least 14 days prior to entering the country.

Testing requirements: Individuals who have not been vaccinated yet must have a negative PCR or rapid antigen test taken within the last 48 hours or proof they have recovered from COVID-19.

Other restrictions: Tourists must pay lodging fully in advance and provide proof. They must also complete an arrival form with their contact-tracing information.

Details: U.S. Embassy, Zagreb

Cyprus travel

Vaccine requirements: Though COVID vaccinations are not required to enter Cyprus, Americans who can prove they are fully vaccinated will not be subject to testing or quarantine as long as their vaccine is approved by the European Medicines Agency.

Prior to travel, visitors must upload a copy of their vaccination certificate to the Cyprus Fight Pass platform. Verification is the responsibility of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Cyprus reserves the right to randomly test passengers on any arriving flight, including vaccinated travelers.

Testing requirements: Unvaccinated visitors from countries classified as red must have a PCR test from a certified lab taken within 72 hours prior of departure.

Other restrictions: Visitors must present their Cyprus Flight Pass to enter crowded venues. In addition, there is a curfew in effect from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.

Details: Cyprus Flight Pass

France travel

Vaccine requirements: Americans may enter as of June 9, provided they have proof they've had their final dose of an approved vaccine at least two weeks prior to travel. They will also need a negative PCR test no older than 72 hours or a rapid antigen test no older than 48 hours.

Testing requirements: Unvaccinated Americans may not visit France for tourism purposes, according to the French Embassy in Washington, D.C.

Other restrictions: Travelers must complete a sworn document saying they do not have symptoms of COVID-19, nor have they been exposed to it. They must also be willing to be tested upon arrival, quarantine if deemed necessary and undergo retesting afterward.

Details: French Embassy, Washington; U.S. Embassy, Paris

Germany travel

Vaccination requirements: American tourists with proof of vaccination of an approved vaccine may enter Germany via air and bypass testing. They must be two weeks past their final dose.

Testing requirements: Unvaccinated visitors from the U.S. will also be allowed, but they must have proof of a negative PCR test no older than 72 hours or antigen test no older than 48 hours prior to entry. Alternately, people who have recovered from COVID can provide a positive PCR test carried out at least 28 days prior but not more than six months prior.

Other restrictions: Regardless of vaccination or test status, all visitors must complete a digital entry registration prior to travel. Americans who enter Germany from a variant concern area need a negative PCR test and must quarantine for 10 days. Travelers are also advised to check the rules for each German state they plan to visit.

Details: German Foreign Office; U.S. Embassy, Berlin

Greece travel

Vaccine requirements: The country announced it is reopening to international tourists on May 15. Fully vaccinated individuals may bypass the testing requirement if they they present a vaccination certificate issued by a public authority showing their second shot occurred at least 14 days prior to arrival in Greece.

Testing requirements: Unvaccinated visitors must have a negative PCR test performed within 72 hours prior to entering the country.

Other restrictions: All visitors must complete Greece's online Passenger Locator Form at least 48 hours before entering the country.

Details: U.S. Embassy, Athens

Non EU-member countries that allow Americans in with a negative COVID test (or other conditions):

Iceland travel

Vaccine requirements: Individuals who can provide proof they are fully vaccinated are exempt from testing and quarantine requirements. Iceland will also accept a yellow card issued by the World Health Organization.

Testing requirements: Unvaccinated Americans need a negative PCR test from within 72 hours of departure and must quarantine at an official facility for five days upon arrival. People who can provide proof they've recovered from COVID are exempt from quarantine requirements.

Other restrictions: Visitors must pre-register online; however, this does not count as a travel authorization.

Details: U.S. Embassy, Reykjavik; covid.is

Ireland travel

Vaccine requirements: Vaccinated Americans will be welcome in Ireland beginning July 19. They will need proof of vaccination to bypass quarantine and testing requirements.

Testing requirements: Unvaccinated adult travelers are still required to undergo testing and quarantine, per the Irish government.

Other restrictions: Travelers need to complete a passenger locator form prior to arrival in Ireland.

Details: Irish government website

Italy travel

Vaccine requirements: Travelers from the U.S. can enter Italy without a quarantine period, so long as they submit a passenger locator form and present a COVID-19 Green Pass or CDC vaccination certificate.

In order to obtain a Green Pass, travelers must either become fully vaccinated against COVID-19; recover from COVID-19 and pass the medical isolation period, or provide a negative COVID-19 test result performed in the 48 hours prior to entering the country.

Details: U.S. Embassy, Italian National Tourist Board

Romania travel

Vaccine requirements: Travelers with proof of vaccination can bypass the mandatory 14-day quarantine.

Testing requirements: Unvaccinated travelers need a negative test taken no sooner than 72 hours prior to departure to bypass quarantine. People who enter without one must quarantine and won't be allowed to test out until day 10.

Other restrictions: Visitors may be asked to complete a questionnaire upon entry.

Details: RomaniaTourism.com

Slovenia travel

Vaccine requirements: Vaccinated Americans need to show proof they are at least 14 days past their final dose.

Testing requirements: Unvaccinated Americans need a negative PCR test result no older than 48 hours. Travelers who have recovered from COVID need either a positive test that is at least 10 days old but no older than six months or a certificate attesting to the same. Children under 15 who cross the border with a direct family member or organized group are exempt from testing.

Details: Republic of Slovenia

Spain travel

Vaccine requirements: U.S. citizens can travel to Spain, regardless of vaccination status, as long as they present a QR code from the Spain Travel Health portal upon arrival. There is no requirement to bring proof of vaccination. This applies to all U.S. citizens, including those who visited another country before making their way to Spain.

Information required to complete the health portal form includes travelers' identity document number (which can be found on passports) and details such as a traveler's arrival date and flight number.

Testing requirements: U.S. citizens are not required to show a negative COVID test to enter Spain.

Details: Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs; TravelSafe Spain, U.S. Embassy

Caribbean

Countries that allow Americans to bypass quarantine if they present a negative COVID test and meet other conditions:

Countries where Americans don't need proof of vaccine, negative COVID test or quarantine: Dominican Republic

Bahamas travel

Vaccine requirements: Travelers who are two weeks past their last vaccination are exempt from the testing requirements for entry and inter-island travel.

Testing requirements: Unvaccinated travelers must have a negative PCR test result no older than five days prior to entry. (Children 10 and under are exempt.)

Other restrictions: Visitors must complete a Bahamas Travel Health Visa application.

Details: Bahamas.com

Saint Lucia

Vaccine requirements: Americans who have documentation proving they are at least 14 days past their final dose will be given a wristband and granted freer access to the island as long as they obey mask and social-distancing requirements. Unvaccinated minor children will be granted the same freedom of movement as their vaccinated parents.

Testing requirements: All travelers ages 5 and up, regardless of vaccination status, need a negative PCR test result from within the past five days and can only partake in approved activities and eat at COVID-certified restaurants.

Other restrictions: All visitors must use COVID-certified lodging regardless of vaccination status.

Details: StLucia.org

North America

Canada remains off limits to American leisure travelers, unless they meet certain exemptions. On May 11, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation that his government prefers to keep its border closed until 75% of the population has had at least their first vaccine dose.

"My gut tells me it's going to be (closed) at least well into the fall of 2021," he predicted a week earlier.

Countries where Americans don't need proof of vaccine, negative COVID test or quarantine: Mexico

In mid-May, the governor of Mexico's Quintana Roo state, home to the Caribbean tourist meccas of Cancun, Cozumel and Tulum, warned that the area faced "imminent risk" of returning to lockdown conditions due to surging COVID cases there.

►Border closures extended: Canada, Mexico land border closed to nonessential travel through June 21

► Trouble in paradise: Mexico's Caribbean coast including Cancún, Cozumel, Tulum at 'imminent risk' of lockdown

Central America

Countries where Americans don't need proof of vaccine, negative COVID test or quarantine:

►Costa Rica during COVID: What's it like to vacation there during the pandemic?

Countries where Americans can bypass quarantine with a negative COVID test result:

Belize travel

Vaccine requirements: Individuals who are at least two weeks past their second shot and bring their official vaccination card must bring their official certificate. If two weeks have not passed, a negative PCR test no older than 96 hours or a rapid antigen test no older than 48 hours old are required.

Testing requirements: Anyone over the age of 4 who is not vaccinated needs a negative test result.

Other restrictions: It's recommended that visitors stay within the Tourism Safe Corridor, and a curfew is in effect from 10 p.m. to 4:59 a.m. daily.

Details: U.S. Embassy, Belmopan; Belize Tourism Board

El Salvador travel

Vaccination requirements: Visitors who have completed their shots may present their vaccine certificate in lieu of a negative test. However, it is still recommended that you contact your airline to confirm whether you also need a negative test to board your flight.

Testing requirements: Unvaccinated visitors ages 2 and up need a negative PCR test result no older than 72 hours of their scheduled arrival time.

Other restrictions: The U.S. Embassy notes that El Salvador strictly enforces the policies and cannot assist anyone who arrives without testing or vaccine documentation.

Details: U.S. Embassy, San Salvador

Guatemala travel

Vaccine requirements: Vaccinated individuals ages 10 and up may enter Guatemala by air or land but need proof the last shot was administered at least two weeks before arrival.

Testing requirements: Guatemala will also accept proof of a negative test completed within 72 hours prior to check-in at the airport or documentation from a licensed health care provider attesting the visitor recovered from COVID-19 in the 90 days prior to travel.

Other restrictions: All visitors must complete a Health Pass form prior to arrival.

Details: U.S. Embassy, Guatemala City

South America

Countries where Americans can bypass quarantine with a negative COVID test:

Ecuador travel

Vaccine requirements: Travelers must have a certificate showing they have received their full course of vaccinations.

Testing requirements: Unvaccinated visitors need a negative PCR or antigen test taken no more than three days before entering Ecuador. Children 2 years of age and younger, as well as airline crew, are exempt from this requirement. People who have had COVID-19 but are at least one month past the onset of symptoms may also present a medical certificate attesting to their recovery.

Other restrictions: International visitors transiting en route to the Galapagos Islands must arrive with a negative PCR test taken within the last three days.

Details: U.S. Embassy, Quito

Middle East and North Africa

Countries where Americans can bypass quarantine with a negative COVID test:

Djibouti (Visa required)

Egypt

Iran (However, no visas are being issued currently.)

Iraq (Visa required)

Morocco (Tourists must have reservation at approved hotel or resort.)

United Arab Emirates (All visitors to Dubai and Abu Dhabi still need PCR tests to enter the country; Abu Dhabi also requires a second PCR test on days 6 and 12, regardless of vaccination status.)

Bahrain travel

Vaccine requirements: Inbound airline passengers vaccinated in the U.S. with approved certificates will be provided with a card for use in Bahrain. However, vaccinated visitors are still required to undergo PCR tests on arrival as well as days 5 and 10 of their stays (at a cost of $95).

Testing requirements: Unvaccinated visitors must test on arrival as well as on days 5 and 10. (Children 6 and younger are exempt.)

Other restrictions: Visitors must download the BeAware Bahrain app prior to arrival.

Details: U.S. Embassy, Manama

Israel travel

Vaccine requirements: Visitors vaccinated outside of Israel must undergo testing at an approved Israeli lab at their own expense to prove their status. They then will be allowed to apply to be exempted from quarantine. They must provide their vaccination certificate and their negative test result along with their exemption application.

Testing requirements: All visitors, regardless of vaccination status, need a negative PCR test taken no more than 72 hours prior to their scheduled departure to Israel.Unvaccinated people will be required to quarantine for at least 10 days. People who have recovered from COVID must provide medical documentation of their recovery.

Other restrictions: Major U.S airlines have suspended flights to Israel amid the current unrest there.

Details: Israeli Ministry of Health; U.S. Embassy, Jerusalem

Lebanon travel

Vaccine requirements: Americans who can prove they are fully vaccinated, have an antibody test showing sufficient antibodies or proof of testing positive for COVID more than 15 days prior to arrival can bypass quarantine.

Testing requirements: All arriving travelers who do not qualify for one of the exemptions need a negative PCR test no older than 96 hours. In addition, travelerswill be tested at the airport at their own expense ($50). They will also have to quarantine for 72 hours and download the CovidLebTracker app.

Other restrictions: Tourists must request permission to enter certain establishments.

Details:U.S. Embassy, Beirut

Africa

Countries where Americans can bypass quarantine with a negative COVID test:

Western and Central Asia

Countries that allow Americans to bypass quarantine if they present a negative COVID test and meet other conditions:

Georgia travel

Vaccine requirements: Vaccinated tourists can enter by air if they present a certificate proving they have received the full round of shots.

Testing requirements: Upon arrival, unvaccinated visitors can avoid quarantine by presenting a negative result from a PCR test conducted 72 hours or less before arrival in Georgia. They will also need to undergo a second test at their own expense on day 3 of their stay.

Other restrictions: Before crossing into Georgia, tourists must complete an authorization form detailing their contact information and their travel history for the previous 14 days.

Details: U.S. Embassy, Tbilisi; Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia

South and East Asia

Much of Asia either still remains off limits to American tourists (including Olympic host nation Japan and Indonesia) or requires them to quarantine (as is the case in Cambodia, China, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, Nepal, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam).

Destinations where Americans can bypass quarantine with a negative COVID test:

Oceania/South Pacific

Most South Pacific countries remain off limits to American tourists, most notably Australia, which has indicated it may not reopen its borders until 2022. In addition, New Zealand and Fiji have both been reluctant to speculate about a reopening timeline. Other island destinations either require a lengthy quarantine (Solomon Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu) or special permission to visit (Samoa), One notable exception: the U.S. territory of Guam.

Countries that admit Americans who can provide a negative COVID test and meet other conditions:

Northern Mariana Islands (Health declaration form required)

Guam travel

Vaccine requirements: Travelers to the U.S. territory who are two weeks past their last dose of an FDA-approved vaccine who can provide a vaccine record card and a secondary form of vaccine verification (such as a letter from the provider) may bypass quarantine.

Testing requirements: Tourists who have recovered from COVID-19 within three months of visiting Guam and are no longer symptomatic may be eligible to bypass quarantine if they can present a positive PCR test between 10 and 90 days old and a negative PCR test collected within 10 days prior to arrival and clearance from their medical provider attesting to their recovery. Visitors who arrive without a vaccine certificate or proof of recovery must spend five days at a quarantine facility but can test out on day 6 with a negative result.

Additional requirements: Vaccinated individuals must sign a declaration attesting to their COVID status (under penalty of perjury).

Details: VisitGuam.com; Guam Department of Health and Social Services

Contributing: Matthew Brown, Dawn Gilbertson, Maureen Groppe, Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY

US-Mexico, Canada border reopening: Travel restrictions through ...

The United States has extended border restrictions on nonessential travel yet again as COVID-19 infections rise in every state.

U.S. borders with Mexico and Canada will remain closed through Aug. 21, according to documents to be published in the Federal Register. The previous U.S. border restrictions were set to end Thursday.

The extensions come on the heels of Canada's Monday announcement that it would reopen its borders to fully vaccinated U.S. citizens and permanent residents Aug. 9, with plans to allow fully vaccinated travelers from any country on Sept. 7.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Monday: "Any decisions about resuming travel will be guided by our public health and medical experts. ... I wouldn’t look at it through a reciprocal intention.”

Canada border:Canada is easing travel restrictions. Here are 10 things to know before a trip

Learn more: Best travel insurance

How long have the borders been closed?

The Department of Homeland Security, in conjunction with its Canadian and Mexican counterparts, first closed the United States' borders to leisure travelers in March 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The restrictions have been extended on a monthly basis ever since.

Restrictions on entry into the U.S. by land and ferry travel are extended until 11:59 p.m. Aug. 21, according to the notices.

People from Canada and Mexico have been allowed to fly into the U.S. with proof of a negative coronavirus test or recovery from COVID-19 – a requirement before boarding any international flight to the U.S. that went into effect in January.

Unhappy travelers:Couples separated by Canadian border plead for U.S. to end travel restrictions

US-Canada border:Canada to reopen its borders to fully vaccinated Americans starting Aug. 9

Why is the US extending border restrictions?

The news comes as vaccines continue to roll out across the three countries and COVID-19 cases are on the rise with the delta variant of the virus spreading, accounting for 83% of U.S. COVID-19 cases.

The DHS said the restrictions have been extended to decrease the spread of COVID-19, including the highly contagious delta variant.

"DHS is in constant contact with Canadian and Mexican counterparts to identify the conditions under which restrictions may be eased safely and sustainably," DHS said in a statement provided Wednesday by spokesperson Angelo Fernández.

On June 7, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention downgraded COVID-19 travel alert levels for Mexico and Canada from level 4 or "very high" to level 3 or "high" recognizing that conditions, while still unsafe, are improving, the DHS said in the notice.

Travel industry reacts

Tori Emerson Barnes, executive vice president of public affairs for the U.S. Travel Association trade group, urged the Biden administration to determine a date and plan "as quickly as possible" to welcome Canadian visitors at U.S. land borders.

“Canada made the right call in releasing a timeline for vaccinated Americans to cross the land border and visit, and it is past time that the U.S. reciprocates," Barnes said in a Wednesday statement. "There is no difference between a fully vaccinated Canadian and a fully vaccinated American."

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said Wednesday he understood that the Biden administration is trying to put safety first but believes easing border restrictions would help the world's pandemic recovery.

“It does seem that the data and the science are pretty clear: We have similar vaccination rates, similar case rates. We have similar variants,’’ Kirby said during an interview on CNBC. “We’re not going to prevent the delta variant from coming to the United States by closing those borders because it’s already here.’’

Contributing: The Associated Press

Australia, Thailand reopening: Who is allowed to travel

Rod McGuirk, David Rising

AP

CANBERRA, Australia — Sydney’s international airport came alive with tears, embraces and laughter on Monday as Australia opened its border for the first time in 20 months, with some arriving travelers removing mandatory masks to see the faces of loved ones they’ve been separated from for so long.

Australia and other countries in the Asia-Pacific have had some of the world’s strictest COVID-19 pandemic lockdown measures and travel restrictions, but with vaccination rates rising and cases falling, many are now starting to cautiously reopen.

Some, like China and Japan, remain essentially sealed off to foreign visitors, but Thailand also started to substantially reopen Monday and many others have already started, or plan to follow suit.

►When will Australia let tourists in?:For most foreign visitors, not until 2022

►'There's only so much you can say on the phone':How COVID-19 travel restrictions have impacted families and couples

Learn more: Best travel insurance

Traveler Carly Boyd seized the opportunity presented by the new Australian regulations to jump on the first flight home from New York to surprise her parents, whom she hadn't seen in three years.

“Just being able to come home without having to go to quarantine is huge,” she told reporters at Sydney’s airport, where the country's unofficial anthem “I Still Call Australia Home” was playing.

“There’s a lot of people on that flight who have loved ones who are about to die or have people who died this week, so for them to be able to get off the plane and go see them straight away is pretty amazing.”

In Thailand, a country where tourism accounted for some 20% of the economy before the pandemic, the lockdown has caused massive job losses and hardship, and the government hopes the return of foreign visitors will provide a much-needed boost.

Still, only a few months removed from a surge fueled by the delta variant of the virus that saw deaths rise dramatically, many Thais remain worried that an influx of outsiders could trigger new outbreaks.

►Cambodia to begin reopening to tourists:Americans advised not to go

Bangkok taxi driver Issarapong Paingam lost his mother to COVID-19 during the recent surge, and said it would make more sense to him for the government to focus its attention fully on reopening domestically before introducing foreign travelers into the mix.

“The government has not yet told the public what they would do if an outbreak takes place again,” the 34-year-old said. "I don’t understand why they don’t let people in the country live normally as a trial to see the trend (of COVID-19 cases) before welcoming tourists.”

Thailand has allowed residents to travel during the pandemic, but mandated a strict two-week quarantine in specially designated hotels for people entering the country.

Foreign arrivals plummeted from 40 million in 2019 to 6.69 million in 2020 — almost all in the first three months before the pandemic restrictions were introduced — to fewer than 100,000 so far in 2021.

Monday's reopening builds on a pilot scheme launched in July on the resort island of Phuket, which allowed fully vaccinated travelers from selected countries to spend their quarantine moving around the island instead of in a hotel room.

Starting Monday, if travelers are fully vaccinated and from one of 63 countries and territories deemed “low risk” — which some cynical Thais have noted seem to be based more on spending power than coronavirus infections — they are exempt from quarantine. They need to spend one night at a designated hotel and can't check out until they have a negative COVID-19 test, but then are free to travel.

Travelers from countries not on the preferred list or those who are unvaccinated are still subject to various quarantine rules.

Restrictions are also being relaxed in the destination areas, including widespread reopening of businesses and other facilities such as department stores, spas, tattoo shops, schools and sporting events.

►US travel rules are changing:What travelers need to know before Nov. 8

With the combination of strict screening of visitors and higher vaccination rates in Thailand, Supat Hasuwannakit, president of Thailand’s Rural Doctor Society, said he is not concerned about foreign tourists sparking a new surge in cases.

But he said he does worry about the planned reopening of bars and clubs in December, noting that recent domestic outbreaks came after the government allowed people to gather for activities such as religious services and weddings.

“Once people start to gather, eat and drink, it has a high possibility to create a new outbreak,” he said. “Most bars and nightclubs are indoors with bad airflow, so it is easy for COVID-19 to spread once they reopen.”

Rules requiring masks and distancing remain in place, much like other countries in the region that have begun reopening.

►Where vaccinated tourists can go:Vietnamese island Phu Quoc, Israel easing travel restrictions

In India, which saw a peak of 400,000 daily cases in April and May, officials have been warning that people need to continue following such restrictions to avoid causing “super spreader” events during the holiday season as the country gradually reopens.

India began granting tourist visas on Oct. 15 for fully vaccinated people arriving on charter flights, and will extend them to tourists on commercial flights starting Nov. 15.

Neighboring Sri Lanka has already started to allow fully vaccinated travelers without quarantines, and partially or non-vaccinated people with some restrictions. South Korea, which on Monday began to allow larger social gatherings and lifted operating-hour restrictions on restaurants, has a similar scheme.

Vietnam is still closed but plans to open the popular resort island of Phu Quoc to fully vaccinated vacationers by the end of the month, and neighboring Cambodia, which on Monday lifted restrictions on domestic travel, has a similar plan to open two seaside provinces to international travelers. Malaysia intends to open its northern resort island of Langkawi on Nov. 15 to fully vaccinated tourists.

Australia is betting that vaccination rates are now high enough to mitigate the danger of allowing international travel.

Initially only Australian permanent residents and citizens will be free to enter the country. Fully vaccinated foreigners traveling on skilled worker and student visas will be given priority over international tourists.

But the government expects Australia will welcome international tourists back to some degree before the year ends.

Already, Australia announced Monday that vaccinated tourists from Singapore — which has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world — will be welcome from Nov. 21 under a bilateral agreement.

►Come explore with us:Sign up for USA TODAY's Travel newsletter

The new freedoms also mean that fully vaccinated Australian permanent residents and citizens can leave the country for any reason without asking the government for an exemption from a travel ban that has trapped most at home since March 25, 2020.

Sydney was the first Australian airport to announce it would reopen Monday because New South Wales was the first state where 80% of the population aged 16 and older has been fully vaccinated. Melbourne and the national capital, Canberra, also opened on Monday after Victoria state and the Australian Capital Territory achieved the vaccination benchmark.

Even though Australians are now free to travel overseas, four Australian states and a territory are still maintaining pandemic restrictions on crossing state lines.

►New Zealand eases some quarantine rules:Keeps borders closed to tourists

Australian Ethen Carter, who landed at Sydney's airport from Los Angeles on Monday, expressed his frustration at having to apply for permission to visit his dying mother in Western Australia state.

He pleaded through the media to Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan, who has said the state border will not open this year, to let him in.

“Mark, think of the people that are suffering, like, mentally to see their family. That’s also a health issue," Carter said. "And we know we’ve got to protect people’s lives, but you’ve got to bring families together again, you have to.”

McGowan said his government would consider allowing Carter to enter the state if he applies for an exemption.

“These situations are very sad and very difficult and we’ve seen much of this over the course of the last two years,” McGowan said.

Contributing: Chalida Ekvitthayavechnuku, Tassanee Vejpongsa, Ashok Sharma, AP

US-Canada border restrictions extended until July 21

Rob Gillies

Associated Press

TORONTO — Canada’s public safety minister said Friday border restrictions on nonessential travel with the United States will be extended until July 21.

Public Safety Minister Bill Blair tweeted the move has been made in coordination with the U.S. He said Canada’s number one priority is to keep Canadians safe during the pandemic.

Blair also noted the government plans to release details on Monday about fully vaccinated Canadians who return to the country. The Canadian government has said it anticipates fully vaccinated Canadian citizens who test negative for COVID-19 will be exempt from two weeks of quarantine when returning to the country sometime in early July.

Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s chief public health officer, has said she would like to see 75% of eligible Canada residents fully vaccinated before advising that border restrictions be loosened for tourists and business travelers who aren’t citizens or permanent residents.

More:'We have to find an acceptable level of risk': Officials urge reopening of Canadian border

More:Canadian border likely to enter phased reopening: What to know

The Canadian government expects to have enough vaccine delivered for 80% of eligible Canadians to be fully vaccinated by the end of July.

The border between Canada and the U.S. remains closed to all nonessential travel. The restrictions were announced in March, 2020 in the early months of the pandemic and have been extended every month since.

There are growing calls in the U.S. to open the Canada-U.S. border for nonessential travel like tourism, but less than 20% of eligible Canadians are fully vaccinated now.

The U.S. only started allowing export of Pfizer vaccines in early May. Canada has largely been getting vaccines from Europe until Pfizer exports from the U.S. began arriving in May.

About 70% of eligible Canadians have had at least one dose of vaccine and second doses are ramping up this month and next.

The government also expects in early July to eliminate the need for fully vaccinated Canadian air travelers to spend three days quarantining in an authorized hotel upon arriving in the country. Travelers will also have to be fully vaccinated 14 days or more prior to the arrival.

Currently, air travelers are required to spend three days in quarantine at a hotel at their expense on arrival and then complete their two weeks of self-isolation.

Air travelers will still be required to take a COVID-19 test before arriving as well as on arrival, and remain in isolation until the second test comes back negative.

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