Biden administration plans to require foreign visitors to be fully vaccinated

WASHINGTON – The Biden administration is developing a plan that will require foreign visitors to the United States to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19, a White House official said on Wednesday.

The plan is now in the works, so it will be ready when the United States reopens, the official told NBC News. Current travel restrictions remain in place due to concerns about the delta variant.

Reuters was the first to report the Biden administration’s plans.

The United States prohibits entry to most non-citizens who have stayed in the United Kingdom, European Union countries, Ireland, China, India, South Africa, Iran or Brazil in the last 14 days. It’s unclear when the United States might lift these restrictions.

The most transmissible delta variant is spreading, both in the United States and around the world, and U.S. officials are working on a plan for a consistent and secure international travel policy, the official said.

The vaccination requirement for foreign visitors would take a phased approach, the official said, and include limited exceptions.

The interagency working groups are developing a policy and planning process to prepare for when the time comes to move to the new system, the official added.