On Wednesday evening, President Donald Trump signed a Presidential Proclamation and announced new efforts to contain and/or limit the spread of the coronavirus and COVID-19.
Effective Friday, March 13 at 11:59 PM, for an initial period of 30 days, the United States will suspend entry for most foreign nationals who have been in the Schengen Area within the 14 days prior to their scheduled arrival in the US.
This entry suspension applies to travelers who have visited 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 suspension does not apply to travelers from the UK.
According to the Department of Homeland Security Acting Secretary Chad F. Wolf, the Presidential Proclamation does not apply to legal permanent residents (green card holders), (generally) immediate family members of U.S. citizens, and other individuals who are identified in the proclamation.
“I intend to issue a supplemental Notice of Arrivals Restriction requiring U.S. passengers that have been in the Schengen Area to travel through select airports where the U.S. Government has implemented enhanced screening procedures,” Acting Secretary Wolf said in the DHS release.
As previously reported, on January 30, the Trump Administration issued travel restrictions for China, and later, on Feb. 26, for Iran.
Erickson Immigration Group is closely monitoring these events and will continue to provide broad and/or case-specific updates as new information becomes available.