More than a year and a half after extensive entry bans due to the corona pandemic, the US has reopened its borders to vaccinated people.
the essentials in brief
- Crowds at European airports and long lines at land borders.
From European airports, numerous travelers set out on Monday to visit relatives or friends living in the United States after a long separation. Long queues formed at the land borders from Canada and Mexico to the United States.
“We are visiting our son, whom we have not seen for two years,” said the visibly moved Hans Wolf at the Frankfurt airport before his flight to the Texas metropolis of Houston. “We had booked the first flights in March and now I think we have rebooked 28 times and have now spent so much money that the flight must really be profitable now.”
“It was so hard,” said the 63-year-old British Alison Henry, who also wanted to fly to her son in New York on Monday – after 20 months of separation. “I just want to see my son.”
Many people also made their way to the USA from the French capital Paris: “We are happy to be able to travel, to do tourism again and to see our friends again,” said the 27-year-old Charlotte Boulais at Charles de Gaulle Airport.
The then US President Donald Trump imposed entry bans for the Schengen area, Great Britain and Ireland in March 2020. So-called travel bans were also issued against Brazil, China, India, Iran and South Africa, and the land borders with Canada and Mexico were closed for non-urgent travel.
Trump’s successor, Joe Biden, stuck to the entry bans. This met with increasing criticism in Germany and other EU countries, especially since the European Union had lifted its travel bans for US citizens in the summer. Due to the strict US rules, separated couples or families could not see each other or only through complicated detours. The economy also complained about the travel restrictions.
The borders are now open again to travelers fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. Anyone wishing to enter the country must also present a negative corona test that is no more than three days old. Airlines have increased the number of transatlantic connections again and are using larger machines to meet demand.
Not only private individuals, but also business associations were relieved about the opening of the border. “This means that business travel between Europe and the USA is returning to normal,” said Ulrich Ackermann from the German Engineering Federation (VDMA). The USA are “the largest export market and investment location” for the industry. “That is why the travel bans were a particular challenge for many business travelers from Germany and other Schengen countries.”
The opening of the land borders for travelers from Mexico and Canada is also particularly important; long queues formed at border crossings. The opening of the border even led to a dollar shortage in the exchange offices in the Mexican border town of Ciudad Juarez. The local authorities introduced their own traffic control system and installed portable toilets on the bridges leading to the USA.
Even at the border crossing between Canada and the USA near the famous Niagara Falls, many cars and campers were lining up before sunrise. For many Canadians, however, the high costs of corona tests have a deterrent effect.
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