Travel and USCIS Updates

**UPDATE** On October 20, 2021, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) indicated that it will continue to implement the ban on non-essential travel across U.S. land borders with Canada and Mexico through January 21, 2022. However, these restrictions will be lifted on November 8, 2021 for fully COVID-19-vaccinated foreign nationals only, to align with the air travel vaccine policy which will also take effect on November 8.
Essential travel includes travel by U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and foreign nationals traveling across the border to work in the U.S., among others. Visa Waiver and other business travelers may face additional scrutiny, and tourism and recreational travel is considered non-essential.
**UPDATE** On September 21, 2021, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) indicated that it will continue to implement the ban on non-essential travel across U.S. land borders with Canada and Mexico through October 21. Only essential travel is allowed, and these restrictions do not apply to air travel. Essential travel includes travel by U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and foreign nationals traveling across the border to work in the U.S., among others. Visa Waiver and other business travelers may face additional scrutiny, and tourism and recreational travel is considered non-essential.
**UPDATE** On August 20, 2021, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) indicated that it will continue to implement the ban on non-essential travel across U.S. land borders with Canada and Mexico through September 21. Only essential travel is allowed, and these restrictions do not apply to air travel. Essential travel includes travel by U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and foreign nationals traveling across the border to work in the U.S., among others. Visa Waiver and other business travelers may face additional scrutiny, and tourism and recreational travel is considered non-essential.
**UPDATE** On July 21, 2021, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) indicated that it will continue to implement the ban on non-essential travel across U.S. land borders with Canada and Mexico through August 21. Only essential travel is allowed, and these restrictions do not apply to air travel. Essential travel includes travel by U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and foreign nationals traveling across the border to work in the U.S., among others. Visa Waiver and other business travelers may face additional scrutiny, and tourism and recreational travel is considered non-essential.

Also, starting August 9, the Canadian government will allow non-essential travel from the United States to Canada for fully vaccinated U.S. nationals and permanent residents who reside in the United States.

**UPDATE** On June 21, 2021, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) indicated that it will continue to implement the ban on non-essential travel across U.S. land borders with Canada and Mexico through July 21. Only essential travel is allowed, and these restrictions do not apply to air travel. Essential travel includes travel by U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and foreign nationals traveling across the border to work in the U.S., among others. Visa Waiver and other business travelers may face additional scrutiny, and tourism and recreational travel is considered non-essential.
**UPDATE** on May 21, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) indicated that it will continue to implement the ban on non-essential travel across U.S. land borders with Canada and Mexico through June 21. Only essential travel is allowed; see below for more information regarding what is considered essential travel. These restrictions do not apply to air travel. Essential travel includes travel by U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and foreign nationals traveling across the border to work in the U.S., among others. Visa Waiver and other business travelers may face additional scrutiny, and tourism and recreational travel is considered non-essential.
**UPDATE** On April 21, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) indicated that it will continue to implement the ban on non-essential travel across U.S. land borders with Canada and Mexico through May 21. Only essential travel is allowed; see below for more information regarding what is considered essential travel. These restrictions do not apply to air travel.
**UPDATE** On March 18, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) indicated that it will continue to implement the ban on non-essential travel across U.S. land borders with Canada and Mexico through April 21. Only essential travel is allowed; see below for more information regarding what is considered essential travel. These restrictions do not apply to air travel.
**UPDATE** On February 19, the governments of the U.S., Canada and Mexico agreed to further extend the land border restrictions through March 21, 2021. Only essential travel is allowed; see below for more information regarding what is considered essential travel. These restrictions do not apply to air travel.
**UPDATE** On January 15, 2021, the governments of the U.S., Canada and Mexico agreed to further extend the land border restrictions through February 21, 2021. Only essential travel is allowed; see below for information about what is considered essential travel. These restrictions do not affect air travel.
**UPDATE** Since September, the governments of the U.S., Canada and Mexico have agreed several times to further extend without interruption the land border restrictions. The most recent extension will last through January 21, 2021. Only essential travel is allowed; see below for information about what is considered essential travel.
**UPDATE** On September 18, the governments of the U.S., Canada and Mexico agreed to further extend the land border restrictions until October 21, 2020. Only essential travel is allowed; see below for information about what is considered essential travel.
**UPDATE** On August 19, the governments of the U.S., Canada and Mexico agreed to further extend the land border restrictions until September 21, 2020, which were due to expire on August 20. Only essential travel is allowed.
**UPDATE** On June 17, the governments of the U.S., Canada and Mexico agreed to further extend the land border restrictions until July 21, 2020. Only essential travel is allowed.
**UPDATE** On May 19, 2020, the governments of the U.S., Canada and Mexico agreed to further extend the land border restrictions until June 22, 2020. Only essential travel is allowed.
Essential travel includes travel by U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and foreign nationals traveling across the border to work in the U.S., among others. Visa Waiver and other business travelers may face additional scrutiny, and tourism and recreational travel is considered non-essential.
More information is available at https://www.dhs.gov/publication/notification-temporary-travel-restrictions-applicable-land-ports-entry-and-ferries.
**UPDATE** April 20, 2020
The governments of the U.S., Canada, and Mexico have agreed to extend the border restrictions regarding non-essential travel for an additional 30 days.
**UPDATE** April 10, 2020:
The European Commission has recommended that European Union (EU) countries extend their temporary travel bans until May 15, 2020. To be implemented, each EU country must decide to enact the recommendation in its national rules, and EU countries are expected to decide whether and how to implement this travel ban extension in the coming weeks. Please see https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_20_616 for more information.
**UPDATE** March 22, 2020:
1. Effective March 21, the U.S.-Mexico border is closed to all non-essential traffic for 30 days, subject to review and possible extension. Non-essential travel has been defined by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as travel for recreation and/or tourism. U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, business travelers, and those with valid U.S. travel documents are exempt from the border restrictions. However, it is possible business travelers could face additional scrutiny at the border while the new policy is in place.
 
2. Effective March 20, USCIS will accept “reproduced original signatures” on all forms and petitions for the duration of this National Emergency. This means that a document (such as an I-539 form for dependents) may be scanned, faxed, photocopied, or similarly reproduced, provided that the copy is of an original document containing an original handwritten signature, unless otherwise specified. This temporary change only applies to signatures.
March 20, 2020 update:
  • Effective March 17, the European Union imposed a 30 day entry ban on most non-EU nationals, prohibiting them from entering Schengen Area member countries, and also Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania. (Schengen countries: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland). The ban does not prohibit entry into the EU by nationals of Ireland or the U.K., but that could change. Foreign nationals are allowed to leave these countries, but are advised to check entry restrictions for their destination country.
  • Effective March 18, the U.S. – Canada border is closed to non-essential traffic. There are few details regarding what types of activities will be deemed essential, and more information is expected to be provided soon.
  • On March 18, the U.S. Department of State (DOS), which oversees all U.S. Embassies and Consulates, suspended routine visa services in most countries worldwide, including nonimmigrant and immigrant visa appointments. Additional reduction and cancellation of services is expected in the coming days. Anyone with a previously scheduled visa appointment should carefully monitor the relevant consulate/embassy website for the latest information on visa services at that location. Emergency appointments might be available in very limited circumstances. If a person has already paid the required MRV fee, that same fee can be used for a future visa appointment within one year from the date of payment.
  • Effective March 18, USCIS has closed its physical offices and is suspending in-person interviews and biometrics appointments until at least April 1. Foreign nationals with green card interviews, naturalization interviews or naturalization ceremonies scheduled for the next few weeks will receive notices that their appointments are cancelled and will be rescheduled once USCIS local offices resume operations in the future. Foreign nationals with biometric appointment notices will also receive cancellation notices, and those appointments will also be rescheduled at a later date. USCIS officers are still working, so are still receiving and reviewing petitions and applications, but as of March 18, USCIS has suspended direct contact with the public.
 
This situation remains very fluid as the outbreak grows and additional information is shared. For the most up-to-date national and international information, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website and the World Health Organization’s website. For the most up-to-date information from NC State, please visit NC State’s coronavirus site.