Important International Travel Update

Dear international Longhorns,

We are writing to notify you of an important update regarding international travel to the United States.

On Nov. 26, 2021, President Biden issued a proclamation restricting air travel to the United States from certain countries in southern Africa. The proclamation went into effect Nov. 29 at 12:01 a.m. EST.

What are the key points of the proclamation?

• COVID-19-related travel restrictions applying to air travel to the U.S. from the following countries:
  • Republic of Botswana
  • Kingdom of Eswatini
  • Kingdom of Lesotho
  • Republic of Malawi
  • Republic of Mozambique
  • Republic of Namibia
  • Republic of South Africa
  • Republic of Zimbabwe
• The proclamation applies to non-U.S. citizens, regardless of citizenship, who were physically present in any of the listed countries during the 14-day period preceding their entry to the U.S., unless covered by one of the following exceptions.

Exceptions to the Nov. 26 proclamation

The Nov. 26 proclamation does not apply to U.S. citizens. Additionally, the proclamation does not apply to the following travelers:

• lawful permanent residents of the United States
• noncitizen spouses of U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents
• noncitizen parents or legal guardians of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, provided that the U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident is unmarried and under the age of 21
• noncitizen siblings of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, provided that both are unmarried and under the age of 21

The full list of exceptions can be found in the Nov. 26 proclamation.

What about National Interest Exceptions for certain travelers?

Neither the U.S. Department of State nor the Department of Homeland Security have published the eligibility criteria for a national interest exception (NIE) under the Nov. 26 proclamation.

Travelers should not assume that NIEs approved under the four prior, now-revoked, geographic proclamations will apply under the Nov. 26 proclamation. We will provide an update on NIEs as it becomes available.

Resources

Updated Requirements for Air Travelers to the U.S. due to COVID-19 and the Omicron Variant (U.S. Department of State)

Texas Global will continue to monitor changes in travel restrictions and communicate updates to our international community. We are here to support you. If you have any questions, please contact us.