BUFFALO (WBEN) - Three months after Canada opened its land borders to vaccinated Americans, fully vaccinated Canadian tourists will be able to enter the U.S. with proof of vaccination starting Monday, November 8.
"The only thing that's going to change is now Canadian citizens will be able to travel into Buffalo for tourist reasons as long as they are properly vaccinated and they have proof," said Immigration Attorney Jamie Fiegel. "They will not be required to provide a test."
Fiegel, however, added that the varying rules and guidelines set by the two countries has made this process "impossibly complicated," saying it's been difficult to properly advise those who want to cross the land border.
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One of the major differences in the guidelines is that Canada still requires proof of a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours, and for this reason, Fiegel doesn't expect a ton of Canadians to jump at the opportunity to travel to the U.S. right away.
"The Canadian side will still require the test, which will be a very big stumbling block for those Canadians who would rather come over for groceries, gas, shopping, restaurants," she said. "They've already had a lot of discussion about 'Well, it's not really worthwhile for me to be worried about trying to get a test when I only am going over for a few hours. How am I going to get it? How much is it going to cost? What if the results don't come back in time?' Then they can't get back into Canada and avoid quarantine."
However, Fiegel noted that the Buffalo Niagara International Airport may start to see more visitors.
"We probably will see more Canadians who are going on trips inside the United States, usually Florida, flying out of Buffalo because they would have to get the test to get back after their trip anyways," said Fiegel. "Now they can utilize the bridge to be able to enter into New York and fly out of Buffalo at a much less expensive and much more easy, less complicated type of travel."
Of course, travel would be less complicated for Canadians if the Canadian government dropped the negative test requirement, which Fiegel indicated there's been nothing to suggest that's a possibility in the near future.
Fiegel sent an email to WBEN to help explain the various rules as succinctly as possible, but she still recommends people seek out advice from experts before traveling across the border.
"The October 30 CANADIAN travel change applies to Canadian travel both domestic and international. This is NOT a US policy. As of October 30 travelers are required to be vaccinated OR have proof of a negative test taken within 72 hours of departure for domestic, international and transborder flights from or within Canada. The testing option was instituted to give travelers time to be fully vaccinated before November 30. Full vaccination is scheduled to be required as of November 30, with limited medical exemptions with very limited exceptions to address specific situations such as emergency travel, and those medically unable to be vaccinated. This means that no unvaccinated person will be able to board a domestic or international flight FROM Canada after November 30.
After November 8 ALL travelers who are travelling TO THE US from any country BY AIR must be vaccinated unless they meet an exemption. The most common exemptions are anyone under 18, a US citizen or a US permanent resident (green card holder). Work permit holders are NOT exempt. Those who are exempt and are unvaccinated must present a COIVD test taken no more than 1 day before the flight. This means unvaccinated tourists, visa holders and US work permit holders not be able to fly to the US after November 8, 2021.
BORDER - After November 8, 2021, fully vaccinated tourists will be able to enter the U.S. with a verbal declaration and proof of vaccination. NO COVID test is required at the border. All USC, green card holders AND essential travelers (those who hold work permits) will be exempt from the vaccination requirement and WILL NOT require proof of negative test. A tentative change is scheduled for January 22 whereby, it has been stated, that ALL travelers will require proof of vaccination."
