Rescission: Requirement for Negative Pre-Departure COVID-19 Test Result or Documentation of Recovery from COVID-19 for all Airline or Other Aircraft Passengers Arriving into the United States from Any Foreign Country

On June 10, 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) rescinded the Order titled “Requirement for Negative Pre-Departure COVID-19 Test Result or Documentation of Recovery from COVID-19 for All Airline or Other Aircraft Passengers Arriving in the United States from any Foreign Country.”

This rescission took effect for flights departing to the United States from a foreign country at or after 12:01am ET (4:01am GMT) on June 12, 2022, and has been published in the Federal Register.

This means that as of 12:01AM ET on June 12, 2022, all air passengers, regardless of citizenship or vaccination status, are no longer required to show a negative viral COVID-19 test result, or documentation of recovery from COVID-19, before boarding a flight to the United States.

The increased percentage of individuals who are not only fully vaccinated with a primary series but also have received one or more booster doses strengthens community and individual protection against serious illness from SARS-CoV-2 and reduces the associated strain on healthcare infrastructure. Similarly, the availability of efficacious and accessible treatments adds a powerful layer of protection against severe COVID-19 that was not available in January 2021.

To view the Rescission, click here [PDF – 4 pages].

CDC will periodically reassess the need for a testing requirement based on the latest science, COVID-19 variants, and evolving state of the pandemic, and may reinstitute this measure if necessary to protect the public’s health.

Under CDC’s Amended Order: Implementing Presidential Proclamation on Safe Resumption of Global Travel During the COVID-19 Pandemic, noncitizen nonimmigrants are still required to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19 before boarding a flight to the United States. For information about this Amended Order and the associated attestation see the webpage.

Archive

On December 02, 2021, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) amended its October 25, 2021 Amended Order, titled, “Requirement for Proof of Negative COVID-19 Test or Recovery from COVID-19 for All Air Passengers Arriving in the United States.”

This amendment updates COVID-19 testing requirements for air passengers 2 years or older boarding a flight to the United States.

This Amended Order went into effect for flights departing to the US from a foreign country at or after 12:01am EST (5:01am GMT) on December 6, 2021, and was published in the Federal Register on December 7, 2021.

This Order and attestation will no longer be in effect as of 12:01am ET [4:01am GMT], June 12, 2022.

View the Order [PDF – 30 pages].

On October 25, 2021 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) amended its January 25, 2021 Order, titled, “Requirement for Proof of Negative COVID-19 Test or Recovery from COVID-19 for All Air Passengers Arriving in the United States.”

This amendment updates COVID-19 testing requirements for air passengers 2 years or older boarding a flight to the United States, depending on COVID-19 vaccination status.

This Amended Order was effective on November 8, 2021 at 12:01am EST (5:01am GMT), and was published in the Federal Register on November 5, 2021.

View the Attestation to the October 25, 2021 Order.

This Order will be replaced at 12:01 EST on December 6, 2021

View the Order [PDF – 65 pages].
On November 10, 2021, CDC reposted this Order to correct minor grammatical and typographical errors. The legal substance of the Order remains the same.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued an Order on January 12, 2021 requiring proof of a negative COVID-19 test or documentation of having recovered from COVID-19 for all air passengers arriving from a foreign country to the US. On January 25, 2021, CDC posted a revision to this order. This Order was effective as of January 26, 2021 and was published in the Federal Register on January 28, 2021.

This Order was replaced at 12:01 EST on November 8, 2021.

To view the order, click here [PDF – 9 pages].

Page last reviewed: August 17, 2022

Content source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID), Division of Global Migration and Quarantine (DGMQ)