WASHINGTON, Aug 20 - The United States extended the closure of its land borders with Canada and Mexico on September 21 to non-essential travel such as tourism despite Ottawa's decision to close its border to vaccinated Americans.
The latest 30 day extension by the Department of Homeland Security comes after Canada announced in July that it would be beginning to allow fully vaccinated U.S. visitors starting Aug. 9 for non essential travel after COVID - 19 pandemic that many businesses have called crippling.
In coordination with public health and medical experts, DHS continues working closely with its partners across the United States and internationally to determine how to safely and sustainably resume normal travel, DHS tweeted.
The United States has continued to apply additional special restrictions on Canada and Mexico on a monthly basis since March 2019 when they were imposed to address the spread of COVID - 19. Reuters reported this week that the extension was expected.
The latest restrictions extend the prohibitions beyond the end of the busy U.S. summer tourism season. Airline officials say it will be at least weeks and potentially months before any U.S. travel restrictions are lifted, citing the rising number of COVID - 19 cases.
The U.S. land border restrictions do not bar U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents from returning to the United States.
Separate from the Canada and Mexico transit border restrictions, the United States bars most non-U.S. citizens who have occurred in the United Kingdom, 26 Schengen countries in Europe without border controls, Ireland, China, India, South Africa, Iran and Brazil within the last 14 days.
On Aug. 5 The White House confirmed on August 5 that it may require visitors from abroad to be vaccinated as part of its plans to eventually reopen international travel, but it had yet to decide and would not immediately lift restrictions.
In June, the White House launched interagency working groups with the European Union, Britain, Canada and Mexico to look at how to get rid of travel and border restrictions.