Effective November 29, 2021, the United States has restricted travel from South Africa and seven other African countries to combat the spread of the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus.
Under the new travel restrictions, the U.S. will bar entry to most foreign nationals who have been physically present in Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, or Zimbabwe during the 14-day period preceding their entry or attempted entry into the United States.
The restrictions will not apply to U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, spouses and close family members of U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents, those traveling at the invitation of the U.S. government to help mitigate the COVID-19 virus, air and sea crew, noncitizens whose entry is deemed in the national interest, and a limited number of others.
For a detailed summary of air travel restrictions, please consult our blog U.S. To Rescind COVID-19 Travel Bans, Require Vaccinations for International Travelers. If you have questions regarding the recent announcements involving the new travel ban, we encourage you to contact a Barst attorney. For general inquiries or to schedule a consultation, please visit https://barstmukamal.wpengine.com/contact-us/.