Biden eases curbs on foreign travel to U.S., tightens testing rules for returning, unvaxxed Amcits

The U.S. is easing pandemic restrictions on foreign travel to the U.S., allowing foreign travelers with proof of vaccination and a negative COVID-19 test to enter the country beginning in early November.

Over the past year, non-essential foreign travel to the U.S. was prohibited.

The new rules will determine eligibility for entry on the basis of individual vaccination and testing status, replacing some blanket restrictions on travel from particular countries based on national COVID-19 statistics.

Foreign travelers arriving by air will be required to show proof of a negative test for the virus recorded within three days prior to departure. 

Unvaccinated returning U.S. citizens, meanwhile, will face far more restrictive testing rules: proof of a negative test within 24 hours prior to flight time, then another negative test following return to the U.S.

It's unclear whether the U.S. will accept vaccinations that haven't been vetted by the Food and Drug Administration, such as AstraZeneca's vaccine and the Sputnik V vaccine from Russia. The two vaccines have been distributed to more parts of the world than the three vaccines currently approved by the FDA.