COVID-19 Resource Guide

U.S. INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL POLICY

(As of November 12, 2021)

On November 8, 2021, the United States reopened its borders to fully vaccinated and

tested travelers to our country for the first time since March 2020. Previously, federal

restrictions on international travel prohibited visitors from 33 countries—including the

U.K., China, Brazil, South Africa and much of Europe—from entering the United States.

The new international travel policy will allow air travel from previously restricted

countries so long as the traveler provides proof of vaccination and a negative COVID-19

test. Travelers entering through the United States’ land borders with Canada and

Mexico will be required to show proof of vaccination, but they do not need a COVID-19

test.

These changes will help restore more normal travel while limiting the spread of COVID-

19. Lifting the international travel ban should also provide a much-need economic boost

and support broader recovery in the tourism and travel sectors of our economy,

including the hotel, airlines, restaurant and retail industries.

Travel Requirements

All nonimmigrant, non-citizen air travelers are allowed into the United States if they

show BOTH proof of full COVID-19 vaccination AND a recent negative COVID-19 test.

Vaccine Requirements. Accepted COVID-19 vaccines from foreign travelers include

those approved for emergency use by the World Health Organization, not just those

being used domestically. That means that in addition to the vaccines currently available

in the United States—Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson—the AstraZeneca

(Canada), Sinovac (China), Covishield vaccine and Sinopharm vaccines will be also

accepted. Visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) website for a

complete list of currently accepted vaccines.

Testing Requirements. At this time, all air passengers ages 2 and older, regardless of

citizenship or vaccination status, must show proof of a negative COVID-19 test result.

The requirements vary depending on vaccination status.

• Fully vaccinated: A viral test must be taken no more than 3 days before the

flight’s departure from a foreign country if a traveler has been fully vaccinated

against COVID-19.

• Not fully vaccinated: The test must be taken no more than 1 day before the

flight’s departure from a foreign country if a travelers does not have proof of

being fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

For U.S. citizens who have recently recovered from COVID-19, you may choose to

instead provide documentation of recovery from COVID-19 (i.e., your positive COVID-

19 viral test result taken no more than 90 days before the flight’s departure from a

foreign country and a letter from a licensed healthcare provider or a public health official

stating that you were cleared to travel). Note: Proof of previous COVID-19 infection is

not an accepted quarantine exemption under the Hawaiʻi Safe Travels program.

Exemptions to Travel Policy

The CDC has outlined several exceptions to the federal government’s international

travel policy for the following groups:

• Children under 18 years of age: International visitors over the age of 2 and

under 18 and traveling with vaccinated adults must still show proof of a negative

COVID-19 test taken within 3 days of departure. If they are traveling

unaccompanied, they must show proof of a test taken within 1 day.

• People medically unable to receive the vaccine: Visitors who haven’t been

vaccinated for medical reasons will need to present a letter to the airline from a

medical professional. There are also limited exceptions for visitors who need to

travel to the United States for humanitarian reasons or an emergency, which will

require a State Department letter before departure.

• Emergency travelers without timely access to a vaccine: Exemptions to the

vaccination requirements are also provided to persons with valid visas (excluding

B-1 business or B-2 tourism visas) who are citizens of one of the 50

countries the United States currently recognizes as having low vaccine

availability and vaccination rates, including much of Africa as well as

Afghanistan, Haiti, Iraq and Armenia.

Other exceptions provided under the President’s proclamation and CDC’s order include:

persons on diplomatic or official foreign government travel; participants in certain

COVID-19 vaccine trials; those with limited COVID-19 vaccine availability; certain

members of the U.S. Armed Forces or their spouses or children (under 18 years of

age); sea crew members traveling pursuant to a C-1 and D nonimmigrant visa; and

persons whose entry would be in the national interest, as determined by the Secretary

of State, Secretary of Transportation or Secretary of Homeland Security (or their

designees).

Verification Process

There will be CDC inspectors working at international airports to ensure compliance with

the new federal regulations. Airlines are required to verify vaccine records and match

them with an individual’s ID. If they don't, airlines could be fined up to nearly $35,000

per violation. Airlines are also required to collect information about passengers for

contact tracing purposes.

At land borders, Customs and Border Protection agents will be verifying that travelers

meet the vaccination requirement.

All U.S.-bound travelers will be required to provide contact information such as e-mail,

phone number and local address in the case of an outbreak following arrival.

Though it is not required, the CDC recommends that all travelers, domestic and

international, take a COVID-19 viral test 3 to 5 days upon arrival at their destination.

For more information on these travel policies, you can visit the CDC’s “International

Travel” webpage or the State Department’s “Travel” webpage.

Compliance with State of Hawai‘i Laws

On November 8, the State of Hawaiʻi began welcoming international travelers consistent

with federal travel requirements.

Direct International Travel to Hawaiʻi: The rules require that:

• Non-U.S. citizens traveling directly to Hawaiʻi from an international destination

present BOTH proof of full vaccination AND a negative COVID-19 test result

(NAAT or antigen) taken within 3 days of boarding a flight to the United States.

• U.S. citizens flying directly to Hawaiʻi from an international destination have two

options:

o Fully vaccinated travelers: Vaccinated individuals must provide proof of

vaccination and present a test taken within 3 days of boarding flight to

United States.

o Not fully vaccinated travelers: Those not fully vaccinated must provide

proof of negative COVID-19 test result within 1 day of boarding flight to

U.S.

If international passengers fail to meet both requirements and if U.S. citizens fail to meet

one of the two requirements, they will not be allowed to board their flight. Once in

Hawaiʻi, the CDC will conduct compliance checks.

There will not be any additional State of Hawaiʻi requirements for passengers flying

directly into Hawaiʻi from an international destination, but individual airlines will screen

passengers prior to their departure to the United States.

Non-Direct International Travel to Hawaiʻi: As of November 8, international

passengers entering the United States from another state or territory will be treated as

domestic travelers when entering the State of Hawaiʻi. The Safe Travels Hawaiʻi

program remains in place for all domestic travelers.

Currently, domestic travelers may bypass the State of Hawaii’s mandatory 10-day

quarantine by creating an online account, completing a health questionnaire and doing

one of the following:

• Uploading your vaccination care or other documented proof of vaccination; OR

• Uploading a negative NAAT COVID-19 test result.

Tests must be taken by a Trusted Travel Partner within 72 hours of your flight to

Hawaiʻi.

Consistent with the federal rules on international travel, the State of Hawaiʻi will now

accept COVID-19 vaccines approved or authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug

Administration, in addition to vaccines listed for emergency use by the World Health

Organization. A list of currently accepted vaccines is posted on the CDC’s website.

As of June 15, all passengers who are not in quarantine are free to travel between

islands without restriction.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does my proof of vaccination need to be in English?

Airlines and other aircraft operators must be able to confirm proof of vaccination and

review other required information and should determine when translation is necessary

for these purposes. If documents are in a language other than English, travelers should

check with their airline or aircraft operator before travel.

Can I qualify for an exception to the proof of vaccination requirement for religious

reasons or other moral convictions?

No, there are no exceptions under the Presidential proclamation and CDC’s order for

religious reasons or moral convictions.

If I have tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies, do I still need proof of

vaccination?

Yes, at this time all noncitizen nonimmigrant air passengers traveling to the United

States, regardless of antibody status, are required to provide proof of COVID-19

vaccination. Only U.S. citizens returning to the United States from an international

destination may be allowed to provide documentation of a previous COVID-19 infection

with certain additional requirements, but this does not comply with Hawaii’s Safe

Travels program.

I am not a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident; however, my child is a U.S.

citizen. Will I be able to board a flight to the United States based on my child’s

citizenship status?

No. If you are not a U.S. citizen and are not an immigrant, you are required to show

proof of being fully vaccinated with an accepted COVID-19 vaccine to board a flight into

the United States. If you do not meet the requirements to be considered fully

vaccinated, you will not be able to board your flight to the United States. Only very

limited exceptions exist.