Starting Aug. 9, fully vaccinated U.S. citizens and permanent residents can go to Canada for nonessential travel without quarantining.
Canada on Monday announced that American tourists who are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus will be allowed to enter the country next month.
Starting Aug. 9, fully vaccinated U.S. citizens and permanent residents can go to Canada for nonessential travel without quarantining. The fully vaccinated travelers must provide a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of the trip and upload proof of vaccination to a Canadian government app.
The move comes after Canadian officials said vaccinated travelers from any country would be welcome in September.
But U.S. officials have not made any announcements about when Canadians can visit the U.S. for nonessential travel.
Pressure from lawmakers and separated families to relax the border restrictions has ramped up in recent months as more people in both nations got vaccinated. Canada’s government said the restrictions would only be eased if COVID-19 conditions “remain favorable.”
“Canadians’ safety and security always come first. With rising vaccination rates and fewer cases in Canada, we can begin to safely ease border measures,” Canadian Minister of Health Patty Hajdu said in a statement. “A gradual approach to reopening will allow our health authorities to monitor the COVID-19 situation here and abroad. Canadians have worked hard and sacrificed for each other, and because of that work, we can take these next steps safely.”
The border has been closed to nonessential travel since March 2020.