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President Biden reinforces Trump administration's travel ban, adds South Africa to the list

Jan. 25, 2021
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2 min read
European Airports Ahead of U.S. Travel Ban
President Biden reinforces Trump administration's travel ban, adds South Africa to the list
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President Biden has doubled down on the ban on non-U.S. travelers from Brazil, England, Ireland and 26 additional countries across Europe, known as the Schengen Area. This effort will help the U.S. continue to fight to contain the continuing COVID-19 surge, a U.S. public health official confirmed to Reuters on Sunday. Biden will also add South Africa to that list of countries.

The original ban orders that most foreigners who have visited one of the restricted countries in the past 14 days not be allowed to enter the United States. The South Africa portion of the ban will go into effect on Saturday, Jan. 30.

South Africa is being added to the list because of the "concerning" COVID-19 variant spreading in the region. "The South African variant, also known as the 501Y.V2 variant, is 50% more infectious and has been detected in at least 20 countries," according to Reuters.

The ban originally enacted by the Trump administration in March of 2020 was scheduled to expire on Tuesday.

The Schengen Area includes the following 26 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.

Related: What is the Schengen Area and what European countries are included?

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Although we knew Biden would extend the ban, this is still likely to leave travelers in the lurch.

The ban follows one of Biden’s first actions as president: to make wearing a mask mandatory while traveling domestically, as deaths from COVID-19 in the United States exceed 400,000, as TPG's Victoria Walker previously reported. President Biden signed an executive order on Jan. 21 requiring that masks be worn on “many” airplanes, trains, buses and during all interstate travel, calling mask-wearing a “patriotic duty.” Previously, there was no federal requirement to wear a mask in public spaces.

In addition, the U.S. recently announced that, as of Jan. 26, all U.S.-bound international travelers will need to have a negative COVID-19 test result in order to enter. All passengers returning to the U.S. will also need to self-quarantine upon arrival according to current CDC regulations.

Featured image by Bloomberg via Getty Images
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

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  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
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  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
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  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.