BUFFALO, N.Y. — While Canadians have been welcoming U.S. residents for what's deemed non-essential travel into their country since early August, the US will finally allow Canadians and other foreign nationals to use our land border bridges to enter this country as of next Monday, Nov. 8.
It's not summer travel crunch-time, but Canadians and other foreign nationals who want to finally come to the U.S. to see family, just go shopping, or for other purposes can finally do so come Monday with proof of vaccination.
Matthew Davies who is the US Customs and Border Protection Executive Director for Passenger Admissibility told reporters during a briefing today that, "Non - citizen travelers should have their evidence - their documentary evidence of vaccination available immediately so that it can be presented upon request. The first step is a verbal attestation but at any point where the officer may request it - they should have it available to present so as not to further slow down the inspection process."
He added, "We do accept both digital and paper record. So if individuals have an electronic record on their phone that is acceptable evidence of vaccination."
AstraZeneca and other vaccines okayed by the World Health Organization are also allowed even if different than vaccines used in the U.S.
One of the questions that always surfaces when it comes to border crossings - what about children who can't get vaccinated. There was some clarification from Customs and Border Protection even as the US may be lowering its acceptable age for vaccination with new approvals.
"Any child under the age of 18 will be exempted from the vaccination requirement provided that they are traveling with a fully vaccinated adult," Davies said.
Customs and Border Protection says be patient for this reopening and again suggests anyone coming in to have their documents including vaccine documentation available so an inspector can actually see it to help avoid delays.
And while assuring reporters that staffing will be at pre-COVID levels in the inspection booths, we pressed on recent reports showing CBP vaccination rates at 80%. 2 On Your Side asked, "Can you assure the public that indeed you will have enough staffers on the northern border here in the Buffalo area in order to allow people entry in good fashion?"
Davies responded, "So let me address one aspect of your question - and that is to say - we are laser focused on vaccinating our workforce ahead of the Nov. 22 deadline for federal employees. Like other federal agencies we're continuing to collect vaccine information from our employees as we approach the deadline. As I also said, we know and we expect that there will be wait times as travel increases."
Davies also confirmed that as of January 2022, it will be CBP policy that all those who cross the border must be vaccinated. That would then also include workers like truck drivers involved in cross border trade and transportation and previously deemed essential without restrictions.