New COVID Related Travel Ban
23 March 2021 • Written by Jared Leung
On Monday, January 25th, President Joe Biden signed COVID-related executive orders that would restrict travel to the United States. The ban prevents most non-U.S. citizens from entering the country if they have recently been in South Africa, Brazil, Britain, Ireland, or Europe. The new strain of COVID-19 that has been discovered in these countries and regions is what motivated the president’s actions. President Biden also reinstated broader restrictions that were in effect for much of the past year but were rescinded by the former president days before the end of his term.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has also stated that it will no longer consider exceptions to its requirement that international travelers test negative for Coronavirus before entering the country. This is a re-affirmation of the agency’s stand that testing before and after travel is critical to slowing the spread of the virus.
If you are in the process of applying for an immigration visa to the United States or you have already been approved, the latest news will rightly concern you. The one thing you should know is that the Biden Administration will take a much more vigorous approach to tackle the virus than its predecessor. You should anticipate additional restrictions in the coming months as the new government tries desperately to bring the spread of COVID-19 under control.
While the Biden Administration is committed to defeating the pandemic, it is just as dedicated to restoring a fair and just immigration process. Many of the Trump Administration’s arbitrary bans on people from certain countries have been lifted. The current administration is also working to halt mass deportations. Further plans for overhauling the immigration system are in the works.
Hiring a Scottsdale immigration attorney is the best way to keep informed about such changes. An immigration lawyer Scottsdale will help you navigate through the visa process during this trying time. If you have any questions, you should speak to an immigration lawyer Scottsdale, AZ at the Law Office of Jared Leung.
