US to ease restrictions on fully vaccinated visitors from the EU and UK

The United States plans to ease travel restrictions on visitors from the European Union and the United Kingdom starting in November, a person familiar with the matter told CNN Monday.

The United States will require that adult foreign nationals traveling to the United States be fully vaccinated, another source familiar with the matter said, implementing what the source described as strict protocols to prevent the spread of Covid-19 from passengers who are flying internationally to the US.

The White House was preparing to make the announcement later Monday, including additional elements to the plan for international travel. The Financial Times was first to report the news.

The lifting of restrictions on travel to the United States will come as welcome news to thousands of European citizens with families in the United States who have been kept apart for almost the entire pandemic.

The development is a first step toward repairing one of the several emerging rifts between the Biden administration and officials in Europe. A spat has emerged between the United States and France over a deal to equip Australia with nuclear-powered submarines, depriving France of a contract to provide conventional subs. European leaders also found consultations with the Biden team over Afghanistan to be lacking.

It will also be greeted favorably by the travel industry, which had been lobbying the federal government to lift some of the rules preventing international tourism. Airlines, hotels and hospitality groups had all voiced support for allowing vaccinated tourists from abroad back into the United States.

Written by By Kevin Liptak and Arlette Saenz