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Frequently Asked Questions: Guidance for Travelers to Enter the U.S.

Updated Date: April 21, 2022

Since January 22, 2022, DHS has required non-U.S. individuals seeking to enter the United States via land ports of entry and ferry terminals at the U.S.-Mexico and U.S.-Canada borders to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and provide proof of vaccination upon request.  On April 21, 2022, DHS announced that it would extend these requirements. In determining whether and when to rescind this order, DHS anticipates that it will take account of whether the vaccination requirement for non-U.S. air travelers remains in place.

These requirements apply to non-U.S. individuals who are traveling for essential or non-essential reasons. They do not apply to U.S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents, or U.S. nationals.

Effective November 8, 2021, new air travel requirements applied to many noncitizens who are visiting the United States temporarily. These travelers are also required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination. All air travelers, including U.S. persons, must test negative for COVID-19 prior to departure. Limited exceptions apply. See  CDC guidance  for more details regarding air travel requirements.

Below is more information about what to know before you go, and answers to Frequently Asked Questions about cross-border travel.

Entering the U.S. Through a Land Port of Entry or Ferry Terminal

Q. what are the requirements for travelers entering the united states through land poes.

A:  Before embarking on a trip to the United States, non-U.S. travelers should be prepared for the following:

• Possess proof of an approved COVID-19 vaccination as outlined on the  CDC  website.
• During border inspection, verbally attest to their COVID-19 vaccination status. 
• Bring a  Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative  compliant border crossing document, such as a valid passport (and visa if required), Trusted Traveler Program card, a Department of State-issued Border Crossing Card, Enhanced Driver’s License or Enhanced Tribal Card when entering the country. Travelers (including U.S. citizens) should be prepared to present the WHTI-compliant document and any other documents requested by the CBP officer.

 Q. What are the requirements to enter the United States for children under the age of 18 who can't be vaccinated?

A:  Children under 18 years of age are excepted from the vaccination requirement at land and ferry POEs.

Q: Which vaccines/combination of vaccines will be accepted?

A:  Per CDC guidelines, all Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved and authorized vaccines, as well as all vaccines that have an Emergency Use Listing (EUL) from the World Health Organization (WHO), will be accepted.

Accepted Vaccines:

• More details are available in CDC guidance  here .
• 2 weeks (14 days) after your dose of an accepted single-dose COVID-19 vaccine;
• 2 weeks (14 days) after your second dose of an accepted 2-dose series;
• 2 weeks (14 days) after you received the full series of an accepted COVID-19 vaccine (not placebo) in a clinical trial;
• 2 weeks (14 days) after you received 2 doses of any “mix-and-match” combination of accepted COVID-19 vaccines administered at least 17 days apart.

Q. Is the United States requiring travelers to have a booster dose to be considered fully vaccinated for border entry purposes?

A:  No. The CDC guidance for “full vaccination” can be found here.

Q: Do U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents need proof of vaccination to return to the United States via land POEs and ferry terminals?

A:  No. Vaccination requirements do not apply to U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs). Travelers that exhibit signs or symptoms of illness will be referred to CDC for additional medical evaluation.

Q: Is pre- or at-arrival COVID testing required to enter the United States via land POEs or ferry terminals?

A: No, there is no COVID testing requirement to enter the United States via land POE or ferry terminals. In this respect, the requirement for entering by a land POE or ferry terminal differs from arrival via air, where there is a requirement to have a negative test result before departure.

Processing Changes Announced on January 22, 2022 

Q: new changes were recently announced. what changed on january 22.

A:  Since January 22, 2022, non-citizens who are not U.S. nationals or Lawful Permanent Residents have been required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to enter the United States at land ports of entry and ferry terminals, whether for essential or nonessential purposes. Previously, DHS required that non-U.S. persons be vaccinated against COVID-19 to enter the United States for nonessential purposes.  Effective January 22, all non-U.S. individuals, to include essential travelers, must be prepared to attest to vaccination status and present proof of vaccination to a CBP officer upon request. DHS announced an extension of this policy on April 21, 2022.

Q: Who is affected by the changes announced on January 22?

A: This requirement does not apply to U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents. It applies to other noncitizens, such as a citizen of Mexico, Canada, or any other country seeking to enter the United States through a land port of entry or ferry terminal.

Q: Do U.S. citizens need proof of vaccination to return to the United States via land port of entry or ferry terminals?

A: Vaccination requirements do not apply to U.S. Citizens, U.S. nationals or U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents. Travelers that exhibit signs or symptoms of illness will be referred to CDC for additional medical evaluation. 

Q: What is essential travel?

A:  Under the prior policy, there was an exception from temporary travel restrictions for “essential travel.” Essential travel included travel to attend educational institutions, travel to work in the United States, travel for emergency response and public health purposes, and travel for lawful cross-border trade (e.g., commercial truckers). Under current policy, there is no exception for essential travel.

Q: Will there be any exemptions? 

A: While most non-U.S. individuals seeking to enter the United States will need to be vaccinated, there is a narrow list of exemptions consistent with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Order in the air travel context.

• Certain categories of individuals on diplomatic or official foreign government travel as specified in the CDC Order
• Children under 18 years of age;
• Certain participants in certain COVID-19 vaccine trials as specified in the CDC Order;   
• Individuals with medical contraindications to receiving a COVID-19 vaccine as specified in the CDC Order;
• Individuals issued a humanitarian or emergency exception by the Secretary of Homeland Security;
• Individuals with valid nonimmigrant visas (excluding B-1 [business] or B-2 [tourism] visas) who are citizens of a country with limited COVID-19 vaccine availability, as specified in the CDC Order
• Members of the U.S. Armed Forces or their spouses or children (under 18 years of age) as specified in the CDC Order; and
• Individuals whose entry would be in the U.S. national interest, as determined by the Secretary of Homeland Security.

Q: What documentation will be required to show vaccination status?

A:  Non-U.S. individuals are required to be prepared to attest to vaccination status and present proof of vaccination to a CBP officer upon request regardless of the purpose of travel.

The current documentation requirement remains the same and is available on the CDC website . Documentation requirements for entry at land ports of entry and ferry terminals mirror those for entry by air.

Q: What happens if someone doesn’t have proof of vaccine status?

A: If non-U.S. individuals cannot present proof of vaccination upon request, they will not be admitted into the United States and will either be subject to removal or be allowed to withdraw their application for entry.

Q: Will incoming travelers be required to present COVID-19 test results?

A: There is no COVID-19 testing requirement for travelers at land border ports of entry, including ferry terminals.

Q: What does this mean for those who can't be vaccinated, either due to age or other health considerations? 

A: See CDC guidance for additional information on this topic. Note that the vaccine requirement does not apply to children under 18 years of age.

Q: Does this requirement apply to amateur and professional athletes?

A: Yes, unless they qualify for one of the narrow CDC exemptions.

Q: Are commercial truckers required to be vaccinated?

A: Yes, unless they qualify for one of the narrow CDC exemptions. These requirements also apply to bus drivers as well as rail and ferry operators.

Q. Do you expect border wait times to increase?

A:  As travelers navigate these new travel requirements, wait times may increase. Travelers should account for the possibility of longer than normal wait times and lines at U.S. land border crossings when planning their trip and are kindly encouraged to exercise patience.

To help reduce wait times and long lines, travelers can take advantage of innovative technology, such as facial biometrics and the CBP OneTM mobile application, which serves as a single portal for individuals to access CBP mobile applications and services.

Q: How is Customs and Border Protection staffing the ports of entry? 

A: CBP’s current staffing levels at ports of entry throughout the United States are commensurate with pre-pandemic levels. CBP has continued to hire and train new employees throughout the pandemic. CBP expects some travelers to be non-compliant with the proof of vaccination requirements, which may at times lead to an increase in border wait times. Although trade and travel facilitation remain a priority, we cannot compromise national security, which is our primary mission. CBP Office of Field Operations will continue to dedicate its finite resources to the processing of arriving traffic with emphasis on trade facilitation to ensure economic recovery.

Q: What happens if a vaccinated individual is traveling with an unvaccinated individual?  

A:  The unvaccinated individual (if 18 or over) would not be eligible for admission.

Q: If I am traveling for an essential reason but am not vaccinated can I still enter?

A:  No, if you are a non-U.S. individual. The policy announced on January 22, 2022 applies to both essential and non-essential travel by non-U.S. individual travelers. Since January 22, DHS has required that all inbound non-U.S. individuals crossing U.S. land or ferry POEs – whether for essential or non-essential reasons – be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and provide related proof of vaccination upon request.

Q: Are sea crew members on vessels required to have a COVID vaccine to disembark?

A:  Sea crew members traveling pursuant to a C-1 or D nonimmigrant visa are not excepted from COVID-19 vaccine requirements at the land border. This is a difference from the international air transportation context.

Entering the U.S. via Air Travel

Q: what are the covid vaccination requirements for air passengers to the united states  .

A:  According to CDC requirements [www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/noncitizens-US-air-travel.html | Link no longer valid], most noncitizens who are visiting the United States temporarily must be fully vaccinated prior to boarding a flight to the United States. These travelers are required to show proof of vaccination. A list of covered individuals is available on the CDC website.  

Q: What are the COVID testing requirements for air passengers to the United States?  

A:  Effective Sunday, June 12 at 12:01 a.m. ET, CDC will no longer require pre-departure COVID-19 testing for U.S.-bound air travelers.

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The Latest on U.S. Travel Restrictions

By Lauren Hard Oct. 19, 2021

• Share full article

What to Know: U.S. Travel Restrictions

Beginning today, international visitors who are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus can enter the United States by air or across the land borders with Canada and Mexico.

Here’s the latest →

The new policy ends an 18-month ban on nonessential travel from 33 countries, including China, Brazil and European Union members. The ban had affected tourists and those hoping to visit family and friends in the U.S.

The rules reorient the U.S. approach to vetting its visitors during the pandemic.

Instead of basing entry decisions on travelers’ countries of origin, the U.S. is focusing on vaccination status.

International visitors flying into the U.S. now need to show proof of vaccination before boarding and a negative coronavirus test taken within three days of their flight.

The three vaccines available in the U.S. — Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson — are accepted, as are vaccines cleared for emergency use by the W.H.O., including AstraZeneca and Covaxin.

Unvaccinated foreign visitors cannot enter the country, with limited exemptions.

Unvaccinated Americans returning home need to test negative for the coronavirus within one day of their flight and show proof they have purchased another test to take after arriving.

The hope is with these longstanding bans being lifted, the U.S. tourism industry will start to recover. The halt on travel caused a loss of nearly $300 billion in visitor spending, according to the U.S. Travel Association.

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Know Before You Visit

Almost a million individuals enter the U.S. daily. Everyone arriving at a port of entry to the U.S. is subject to inspection by Customs and Border Protection officers for compliance with immigration, customs and agriculture regulations. The more international travelers know about what to expect, the easier and quicker the process becomes.  

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COVID-19 international travel advisories

If you plan to visit the U.S., you do not need to be tested or vaccinated for COVID-19. U.S. citizens going abroad, check with the Department of State for travel advisories.

COVID-19 testing and vaccine rules for entering the U.S.

• As of May 12, 2023, noncitizen nonimmigrant visitors to the U.S.  arriving by air  or  arriving by land or sea  no longer need to show proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19. 
• As of June 12, 2022,  people entering the U.S. no longer need to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test . 

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Find country-specific COVID-19 travel rules from the Department of State.

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travelwatchdog.com

For more than 10 years, Travelwatchdog has existed as a voluntary service to help the traveller. Have you suffered at the hands of a tour operator, travel agent, holiday company, bucket shop, airline, hotel or any other organisation involved in the travel trade, or had an accident or illness abroad? Are you looking for interesting travel experiences ? In addition to helping members of the public who have problems with the travel trade, we also report and advise independently on trips for the traveller of which we have direct experience, some of which will not be found in the brochure. Do you have a particularly good travel experience about which you would like to tell others? We give equal space to both Saints and Sinners in the industry. You can contact our HELP DESK by clicking here.   We are pleased that over recent years our focus has achieved a better balance between helping travellers with problems and advising those who are planning trips. More and more travellers are consulting us, particularly about 'that trip of a lifetime'. We welcome your enquiries. There is no fee or obligation and we do not try to sell you anything. Difficult to believe, but true! If you in any way doubt your ability to get justice from one of the industry sinners please read Eileen's Story at this link and that of Shirley, immediately below. There is no travel ombudsman and some elements of the industry have a poor record when it comes to dealing with justified complaints. Moreover, almost all travel sites offering help are actually selling something. We are not. Some travel agents and tour operators, particularly those joining the trade via the internet, will steadfastly reject even the most convincing of evidence, feeling safe in the knowledge that there is very little chance of ever being held to account. ABTA, being funded by the industry will support their paymasters in almost all cases, whereas we accept no support or 'free trips' and promise 100% honesty. If you have a legitimate complaint we try to help. If you do not, we say so. Similarly, unlike media correspondents, we do not travel as 'guests of the company'. What we write about a trip is our honest opinion, not a fudge in case our free travel is cut off! The bottom line is that you can trust our advice and the information given in our travel articles. If you have a complaint, simply want some travel advice, or have a good travel story to tell, please contact us using the form at this link Traveller! Whatever else you do during this visit, please read the thumbnails on this page. It could save you money and heartache . USA National Parks Abandoning Animal Conservation Principles   What travellers considering a visit to the USA should know before deciding to make the journey.   Prior to the year 1800, some 60,000,000 Bison roamed wild in America. Today that number is probably no more than 15,000, the remainder having been hunted or lost through disease. 1,000 years ago Bears roamed the forests of Britain but are now extinct due to hunting and disease and those still populating other parts of Europe are under threat. Unfortunately, it appears that despite the lessons of history, those charged with custody of the planet’s endangered animals have learned very little and Yellowstone National Park is set to become the latest US location to cave in to the hunting/gun lobby by withdrawing protection from rare animal species. Yellowstone was almost certainly the first national park in the world and covers c3500 square miles. Principally in the state of Wyoming, but with some territory in Montana and Idaho, it has a unique ecosystem and around the world is generally but erroneously believed to be a totally safe sanctuary for wild animals. Probably the most famous of the wildlife inhabitants of this park is the rare Grizzly Bear, made even more famous by the iconic cartoon character Yogi Bear. An estimated 717 of this endangered species are spread over the area of the park giving each individual bear around five square miles of territory, but their numbers are soon to be reduced still further. Every year millions of tourists are attracted to the USA. Most do not go to see the human inhabitants or cities. Above all they go to see the landscape and wildlife - everyone without exception dreams of seeing a bear . Few will meet that aspiration and the chances of doing so will be reduced even further if the slaughter of the US Bear population is extended from the killing fields of Florida into this unique national asset. In the past year the plight of Bears in the USA has become precarious. In the latter part of 2015 Florida issued licenses to hunters to kill around 300 Black Bears and New Jersey soon followed suit, both despite the rarity of the species. The motivating factors include pressure from Hunters, generally a redneck underclass, but with a powerful voice, revenue from selling hunting licenses and business interests focused on securing land for development. In Florida the killing was particularly horrendous, with solid evidence of lactating mothers being shot thusß leaving orphaned cubs to die a lonely death, with other animals wounded and simply limping away to die. First reports from New Jersey suggest a similar scenario. Lame excuses citing fear of the dangers arising from contact with human beings are put into context by the fact that the average loss of human life through such contact throughout the entire USA is two persons each year. This is two deaths too many, but set against the annual figure of 1,000 hunting accident gunshot wounds resulting in about 100 fatalities, and the 30,000+ Americans murdered by guns each year, it does seem to be grasping at straws. The latest attack on these Bears arises with the proposed removal, by the government, of the protection afforded to the few remaining Grizzly's. If this happens the future looks bleak both for the Bears and for those who visit the USA in the hope of seeing them. The decision will be made by Fish & Wildlife Director, Dan Ashe, a politician with a reputation for being an avid killer of animals for pleasure. If permission is granted, this could spell the beginning of the end for America's national parks that without their wildlife are just sterile attractions devoid of interest.

Are my days in Yellowstone Numbered? The impact on the tourist industry will eventually be massive. Throughout the world animal species are under unrelenting attack and many are endangered or will soon become so. In developing countries this is understandable even if unacceptable, simply because poor countries will struggle to improve economic performance by whatever means are available to them. There is a view, and a perfectly reasonable one, that wild animals belong to planet earth and not to individuals or nations who are merely custodians for the time being. An extension of that view is that even if you take no action to influence the wildlife decisions of other custodians, there is a duty to preserve those species with which you have personally been entrusted. In the case of the Grizzly Bears of Yellowstone National Park, they are in the custody of the USA in general and the US Fish and Wildlife Commission in particular. Commissioner Ashe has an international responsibility to ensure their preservation. In the worst case scenario hunting, followed by disease, could very easily eradicate these bears from the area. Many visitors to the USA are attracted by the unique nature of these national parks that are generally regarded as inviolable animal sanctuaries. Remove the protection and each becomes just another piece of real estate into which the abhorrent gun culture has been extended. (If there is one certain fact that the USA has not taken on board, it is the incredulity of the developed world at their tolerance of violent crime generated by the failure to control the use of guns that are still protected by an enactment introduced when there was no organised law enforcement and the musket was the available weapon.) Even more irresponsible is that removing the protection from a single park damages the integrity of the whole system and starts the inevitable destruction of a unique American attraction that people like George Catlin and John Muir worked so hard to promote. Are there alternatives for your trip? Of course there are! Recent developments in China, the wilderness areas of Russia and particularly Argentina and Patagonia are just a few of the options a traveller can consider. They do not have the attraction of the Yellowstone Grizzly’s, but if those unique animals become simply a trophy on the wall of a gun crazy redneck, there is little else of special appeal. Sadly, the Bison lesson is being ignored. Wild animals never kill for sport. Man is the only one to whom the torture and death of his fellow creatures is amusing in itself! James Anthony Froude - English Historian and Scholar (1818-1894)

General Travel Advice Even the experienced traveller needs to take a great deal of care in planning a trip. Most of the time nothing goes wrong, but if it does you really do need to be prepared. Take advantage of our printable travel trip check list and avoid the pitfalls that are regularly reported to us. Travel Insurance In recent months we have had many cases where holiday stopping events have occured after booking. ALWAYS arrange travel insurance as soon as you make your flight or holiday booking. Tour operators and travel agents will not normally refund however bad the tragedy. They make sympathetic noises but some see it as a bonus rather than a problem. To them it's a holiday they may be able to sell twice! Use our travellers check list at this link. Travel Regulation Care Travellers must be aware that it is their personal responsibility to ensure that they meet all Visa and other travel requirements before commencing their journey. The consequence of not doing so can be profound. Mr K's family recently travelled to Brazil without him, but when Mrs K and her children attempted to return to the UK, they were prevented from doing so by the Brazilian authorities who will not allow a lone parent to take children out of the country. In this case, not being aware of the regulations before travel has caused a great deal of distress and additional expense. Expect travel agents and airlines to offer advice on such matters, but they do not have the final responsibility; YOU DO! Check with the visa section of the relevant embassy if you are not certain that you are absolutely aware of the requirements you must meet for your journey. Stop being a 'Sticky' Customer! What is a 'sticky' customer? This is a term companies apply to those customers who either by design or ignorance can be relied upon to stay with the company. This happens where a company earns a reputation for being good value and despite market trends offering better value almost everywhere else, the company retains its customers because those customers are too lazy or too foolish to research other opportunities. Beware Europcar on the Continent Over the past couple of years we have had a number of e-mails about outrageous charges levied by Europcar for minor damage to hire cars. Europcar, owned by EURAZEO, is a franchise organisation with some very dodgy franchisees. Nice seems to be the worst place to hire from this company. The credit card of one customer was debited over €919 for a small dent in a bumper caused when they left the vehicle in a car park. More recently, another Europcar Nice customer's card was debited more than €500 for a dent in the steel wheel of a Peugeot and another in Malaga, €800 for a broken clutch cable! You can avoid such overcharging by using a credit card with a very low spend limit or avoiding this company altogether.   Before Travelling to any suspect region, check the latest travel advice with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office:     Finding new experiences is one of the great joys of travel. In these days when conforming to a pattern is more and more a part of life, when you find something different it is worth letting people know. If you are going to the Auburn area of California drop in and see Charlie Green at his fabulous winery in the hills.   USA Car Hire Scam - Read and be Prepared You may be charged hundreds of dollars for rental car insurance -- even if you decline it! Hundreds of stories on consumer advocate website InvestigativeGuy.com describe being overcharged hundreds of dollars by Dollar Rent a Car and its sister company, Thrifty Car Rental. The website is run by San Diego attorney and investigative journalist John Mattes, who is currently counsel in two insurance overcharges lawsuits against Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group . How does the alleged "scam" work? Consumers complain that the employees do one or more of the following: a) Claim that the rental car insurance is mandatory (often claiming a "new law" specific to the state/country the traveler is in) b) Tell the consumer they won't be charged for insurance, but add on the charges before the consumer signs c) Direct the consumer to click a button or sign on an electronic screen. The consumer is told they're declining insurance, when they're actually accepting the charges d) Fold the receipt so that any extra or unauthorized charges aren't immediately visible When consumers complain at the counter, they're often rebuffed with "You signed the contract, there's nothing we can do." How can you prevent this from happening to you? Learn what your existing insurance (auto, credit card, travel) covers. Be very clear and vocal that you do not want any extra insurance. Be wary of items called "Loss Damage Waiver" and "RoadSafe". If directed to check a box or sign a contract, have the employee confirm what it is for. Review your contract/receipt at the counter and note any discrepancies beforehand.  Have you been overcharged for insurance by Dollar / Thrifty Rent a Car? You're not alone. Attorney John Mattes wants to hear from you. Please see InvestigativeGuy.com or email [email protected] to get in touch.  The information in this message is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing of this information does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.     ©Travelwatchdog.com - June (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_GB/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); "> 2015. Images, video and articles from the site may be freely downloaded, but may only be reproduced in their full version and in the context in which they appear here

A message from the Editor

For more than 10 years we have offered free advice to the travelling public and, apart from a small annual payment from one of Britain's top firms of Solicitors and a few public donations, we have personally met all of the considerable costs of maintaining the site. If you wish to help, please use the Paypal button below. A Paypal account is not necessary. Yours sincerely, Bob Braban About the Editor: Bob enjoyed a long career in the Royal Air Force before spending 10 years as a public school Bursar and a further 5 years as head of Education Marketing International. Throughout this time he worked concurrently as a part-time freelance journalist, for a period with BBC local radio and regional daily newspapers. Legally educated and widely travelled, he started travelwatchdog.com in 2002 after successfully fighting misrepresentation by e-bookers and realising that in travel matters there is no independent source of advice assistance for those who feel they have been wronged. In recent years more focus has been placed on trip planning and pre-travel advice The Stunning Yosemite Falls. Part of the California Tour  

The Domes at Peterhof St Petersburg A highlight of any Baltic Cruise

  Before you travel to the Middle East on holiday – Understand the Risks Two years ago we issued a strong warning about travelling on holiday to the Middle East in general and Egypt and Sharm el Sheikh in particular. The area is particularly volatile since the Arab Spring and as well as a general risk from random attacks on individuals and groups, there has always been a serious problem with airport and aircraft security. The recent downing of the MetroJet flight serves as a timely reminder that airport and aircraft security is a lottery, particularly in the regions mentioned. Travellers are generally impressed by the visible security measures at all international airports and those are backed up, to varying degrees, by measures the public cannot see. Don’t for one minute believe that this overt and covert activity creates anything like total safety. It does not! For almost four months some 50 years ago, I was responsible for the security at an international civil airport just 765Km from Sharm el Sheikh. I quickly found that despite having a lot of real good security staff and limitless powers to control entry, search vehicles, search passengers and staff, search all packages and restrict entry from outside the perimeter, the security was nevertheless flawed for reasons beyond my control. Technology and a host of other advances in security have ensued, but so have advances in bomb-making and the basic problem has only been reduced, not solved. The number one problem is: How do you guarantee the security integrity of what arrives on your runway? Every international airport receives flights from near and far and your security is as good as the security at the worst airport in the chain of flights that has brought that aircraft and its passengers and cargo to your runway. Consider this : A light aircraft flown by a terrorist sympathiser takes off from a small airfield in an African state where security is very lax. A member of the crew is carrying a small parcel containing an explosive device. On their arrival at a larger feeder airfield he lands and is already inside the secure area. There maybe security measures in place, but at many airfields they will be poor. This is particularly the case at smaller airports where everyone is familiar with everyone else and unjustified trust is built up, thus reducing essential checks. By arrangement, the carrier passes the package to another sympathiser who places it, again by arrangement, under seat 38 on an airliner scheduled to fly to your airport. On arrival at your airport, say Sharm el Sheikh for example, an aircraft cleaner who is also a sympathiser, collects the package from seat 38. His cleaning duties take him to another aircraft where he arms the package and leaves it in a suitable place. Of course airport security officials try to take action to prevent such events, but they are a great deal more difficult to prevent than other incursions. More advanced international airports will have a far better grip on the problem than those in less well developed countries, but if you choose to holiday in places like Sharm el Sheikh you are taking a real risk. If you are a UK Senior Citizen looking for other than travel advice, you may find these links of interest : www.seniorsnetwork.co.uk www.pension100.co.uk Booking on-line Every week brings several stories of financial losses by travellers who have made mistakes whilst booking on-line. Getting travel companies to put these errors right is almost impossible with the best and quite impossible with the worst. They see it as money in the bank. if you are not confident go to a travel agent. If you are confident, take care. If you are over-confident, go to a travel agent! read this:   RESORT KEY WARNING! If you are approached by Resort Key be very cautious. See our complaint of the month for details   Fly.co.uk We have had a host of recent complaints about this company who take additonal charges from credit cards without the customer's authorisation. Although they are Fly.co.uk they operate out of Leipzig in Germany. They do not return calls and frequently send information etc. in German. Our advice is to avoid them like the plague. Airline Return Tickets - Warning! James who is currently in Australia e-mailed to say that he was stuck in Australia. To ensure that he could travel back to the UK on the same flight as his girl friend he purchased a return ticket intending to use only the return half. When he did not turn up for the outbound flight the airline voided to whole ticket so he lost his money. This highlights a problem that can affect quite a number of people and one that arises from general ignorance of airline practices. If you purchase a return airline ticket and do not make the outward journey, the airline will void the whole ticket. They assume the right to believe that if you did not go, you will not be coming back. They pocket your money and sell the ticket again.       On Advice: George Harris (1844-1922) US Educator I intended to give you some advice but now I remember how much is left over from last year unused! Oswald Theodore Avery (1877 -1955) Whenever you fall, pick up something. Edward VIII (1894-1972) Only two rules really count. Never miss an opportunity to relieve yourself; never miss the chance to sit down and rest your feet.      

England’s worst bus operator named by travel watchdog

England’s worst bus operator has been revealed by a transport watchdog.

The Transport Focus research showed that passengers travelling in urban metropolitan areas across England are less satisfied (78%) on average compared with those making journeys elsewhere.

Arriva in West Yorkshire has been ranked England’s worst bus operator.

Just 66% of passengers were satisfied with their last journey, a survey by watchdog Transport Focus covering 55 operators indicated.

Yorkshire towns and cities served by Arriva buses include Leeds and Wakefield.

Arriva, based in Sunderland, is one of the UK’s largest train and bus operators.

It is a subsidiary of Germany’s state-owned transport giant Deutsche Bahn but a takeover by US-based infrastructure investor I Squared Capital understood to be worth around 1.6 billion euro (£1.4 billion) was agreed in October last year.

The watchdog said: “This is not surprising as urban metropolitan services are the most likely to be affected by crowding, and are most likely to encounter traffic and roadworks, making services run late.

“Crowding makes people less satisfied, even when they can get a seat.

“Passengers who sat next to someone they didn’t know are significantly less satisfied than those who didn’t.”

The top-ranked operator was Stagecoach in Portsmouth, which had a passenger satisfaction score of 91%.

Transport Focus found that overall, 80% of bus passengers in England were satisfied with their last journey, with 8% dissatisfied.

It said bus drivers can “make or break a journey”, with passengers noting if they wait until someone is seated before moving off, and how careful they drive.

The research, which was conducted for the first time, gathered feedback on more than 35,000 journeys in England.

Transport Focus director David Sidebottom said: “It is good to see many passengers are satisfied with their journey.

“Eighty per cent overall satisfaction is a good start.

“However, wide variation in scores show that some passengers are being let down.

“As congestion continues to bite, Government, bus operators and local authorities must work together so that passengers see the improvements in reliability, journey times and better value for money fares promised in the national bus strategy.

“We’ll be using the results from this survey as a benchmark for local transport authorities and bus operators to drive improvements and attract more people onto buses.”

Graham Vidler, chief executive for industry body the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT), said: “It’s great to see eight out of 10 passengers were satisfied with their last bus journey, and even better to see satisfaction as high as 90% in some areas such as Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole or the East Riding of Yorkshire.

“To drive improvements for bus passengers right across the country, operators and local authorities will want to learn from these high-performing places.

“These results also highlight the persistent challenge posed by road congestion when it comes to delivering reliable, punctual bus services, especially in peak periods.

“This is why it’s vital local authorities invest in measures to give buses priority on key routes, and it’s why CPT is calling on the next government to require all local authorities to improve bus speeds by 10% over the next five years.

“Given that bus drivers are the most thanked profession in the country, it’s also gratifying for bus operators to learn that this survey also found 85% of passengers were satisfied with their bus driver.”

The PA news agency approached Arriva for a comment.

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Minister Hussen announces international youth internships in Atlantic Canada

Convention on the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments in civil or commercial matters [ms no.7/2024], updating live: security council due to hold emergency vote demanding gaza ceasefire, joint statement between bhutan and bangladesh on the occasion of the state visit of his majesty jigme khesar namgyel wangchuck, king of bhutan, to..., ‘we must push for lasting peace in gaza,’ un chief insists as starvation threat nears, usa travel advice.

This travel advice also covers American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and United States Virgin Islands

The FCDO advises against all but essential travel to:

• The whole of the US based on the current assessment of COVID-19 risks. However, the FCDO is not advising against travel to the Northern Mariana Islands.

If you are arriving in the UK from USA, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands on or after 4am on 18 January you will need to self-isolate on your arrival, unless you have a valid exemption. Check the latest guidance for England , Northern Ireland , Scotland and Wales .

The FCDO is not advising those already travelling in the US Virgin Islands to leave at this time. Travellers should follow the advice of the local authorities on how best to protect themselves and others, including any measures that they bring in to control the virus. You should contact your tour operator or airline if you have any questions about your return journey.

Travel to USA is subject to entry restrictions

• British nationals cannot enter the USA and its territories if they have been in the UK, Ireland, Schengen zone, Iran, Brazil or China within the previous 14 days
• If you are eligible to enter the USA you must be prepared to self-isolate for up to 14 days after arrival
• If you are flying to the US from the UK on or after 28 December, you must test negative via PCR or Antigen test no more than 72 hours before your departure from the UK. You must provide your airline with written documentation of your lab test result. You should check the process with your airline before travelling.

See Entry requirements for more information before you plan to travel.

Preparing for your return journey to the UK

If you’re returning to the UK from overseas, you will need to:

Check our advice on foreign travel during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and sign up for email alerts for this travel advice.

If you’re planning travel to USA, find out what you need to know about coronavirus there in the Coronavirus section .

During the COVID-19 pandemic, it is more important than ever to get travel insurance and check it provides sufficient cover. See the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office ( FCDO )’s guidance on foreign travel insurance .

Around 3.8 million British nationals visit the USA every year. Most visits are trouble free.

There have been widespread protests across the USA since 27 May 2020, some of which have turned violent. Curfews have been enforced in many cities as a result. There is potential for further protests and curfews. You should follow the instructions of local authorities. If you do attend any peaceful protests, you should be mindful of your surroundings and move away if there are signs of trouble.

The Mayor of Washington DC has introduced an Emergency Order in the city, effective until 3pm local time on 21 January 2021, under which curfews and other emergency measures may be introduced in Washington DC at any time. President Trump has approved federal assistance to support Washington DC’s emergency declaration until 24 January 2021. If you are in Washington DC, you should follow the Mayor’s instructions. There is potential for further disorder during this period across the country, including in Washington DC and state capitols. You should follow the instructions of local authorities and stay away from any actual or potential disorder.

Snow storms during winter can cause delays and cancellations throughout the major airline hubs in the USA. See Snow storms

Terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in the USA. Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreigners. You should monitor media reports and remain vigilant at all times. See Terrorism

You should be alert to the dangers of car and street crime. See Crime

The Atlantic hurricane season normally runs from 1 June to 30 November. The Pacific hurricane season runs from 15 May to 30 November. See Hurricanes

Forest and brush fires (wildfires) are a danger in many dry areas. See Wildfires

If you’re abroad and you need emergency help from the UK government, contact the nearest British embassy, consulate or high commission .

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Guide dogs explore TSA checkpoint at Reagan Airport to get oriented to security checkpoints

ARLINGTON, Va. – Approximately two dozen service dogs got some practice going through a Transportation Security Administration checkpoint at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport this morning (National Puppy Day) so that they would be more familiar with the experience of traversing through an airport when they need to catch a flight. 

TSA officials screened 24 puppies and their trainers from the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind to assist individuals with visual impairments and America’s VetDogs® who are trained for those with physical disabilities; individuals who are blind or have low vision; and to help veterans mitigate the effects of PTSD.

TSA officers worked with the pups as they came through the checkpoint in an effort to acclimate the future guide dogs with an important piece of the airport experience—the security checkpoint.

The familiarization opportunity will result in a smoother experience when the puppies graduate into certified guide dogs and return to take a flight, according to officials from Guide Dog Foundation. The familiarization exercise enables the canines and their trainers to know what to expect when the dogs and the people they are trained to guide, return with plans to take a flight.

The orientation session also served as a good review and reinforcement of TSA procedures for screening service animals for the TSA officers who were working at the checkpoint during the familiarization exercise.

“The orientation session was a hit with the dog trainers, the TSA officers and of course with the dogs. There was plenty of tail wagging,” said John Busch, TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport. “The collaborative effort benefitted the guide dogs, the airport and TSA and will go a long way to ensuring that the dogs and their eventual owners will have a smooth checkpoint experience in the future.”

The dogs also had the opportunity to sniff around the airline check-in counters, baggage carousels and TSA arranged for the puppies and their trainers to board an aircraft.

Similar TSA checkpoint orientations have taken place for service dogs at other airports including Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, Greater Binghamton Airport, Elmira Corning Regional Airport, Buffalo-Niagara International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, Westchester County Airport, Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport and Long Island MacArthur Airport, among others.

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Rwanda trips by UK ministers and officials have already cost over £400,000

Figures reveal £413,541 spent on travel since the policy to send asylum seekers there was devised in 2022

• UK politics – latest updates

Sending ministers and officials to Rwanda has cost the government more than £400,000 before a single deportation flight has taken off, figures show.

Ministers have spent a total of £413,541 on travel in the two years since the policy to send asylum seekers to Kigali started to be developed.

The total, calculated by the Labour party, is based on government transparency releases. It includes trips by senior government officials and a succession of ministers and home secretaries including James Cleverly, Suella Braverman and Priti Patel.

This week it emerged that Cleverly spent £165,561 on chartering a private jet for a one-day trip to sign a new treaty with Rwanda in December. The cost of the flight was published in a transparency document on Thursday.

The shadow immigration minister, Stephen Kinnock, said: “Having clearly decided that committing £600m of taxpayers’ money to the Rwandan government for just 300 refugees wasn’t insulting enough, it now emerges that three home secretaries have blown hundreds of thousands of pounds on their various publicity stunts in Rwanda. This government’s enthusiasm for wasting taxpayers’ money knows no bounds.

“Labour would redirect the cash set aside for Rwanda into a cross-border police unit and security partnership to smash the criminal smuggler gangs at source, and introduce a new returns unit to quickly remove those with no right to be here.”

A succession of legal challenges have prevented the Rwanda policy, which would send asylum seekers who arrive in the UK on small boats to the east African country for processing, from being implemented.

The plan was first announced by Boris Johnson in April 2022 but is yet to become operational two years later.

The government insists that flights to Rwanda will take off this spring, after a bill intended to overcome legal hurdles to the policy becomes law.

However, ministers have delayed the passage of the bill until after Easter, with the final votes on it expected to take place in mid-April . The government has yet to find an airline to operate the flight.

Asked why he was waiting another three weeks to push the legislation through, Rishi Sunak said his plan to stop Channel crossings “is working”.

“People should not be able to jump the queue, come here illegally, put pressure on local services, undermine our sense of fairness and ultimately put their lives at risk as they are exploited by gangs,” he told broadcasters. “That’s why I am determined to stop the boats. Our plan is working, the numbers last year were down by a third. That’s never happened before, that shows that we are making progress.”

He added that the UK needed Rwanda flights as a “deterrent” to “finish the job”.

Cleverly’s flight to Rwanda in December was to sign a new treaty that established a new appeal body, to be made up of judges with asylum expertise from a range of countries, to hear individual cases.

The flights alone of the home secretary’s 24-hour trip cost more than four times the total cost of Braverman’s last visit in March 2023 . Her trip cost just over £40,000, with flights at £35,041, hotels £4,301, transport £248 and “engagement” £2,056, the Daily Mirror reported last year.

The government said Rwanda’s asylum system would be monitored by an independent committee, whose powers to enforce the treaty would be beefed up. The committee would develop a system to enable relocated people and their lawyers to lodge complaints.

The government was criticised earlier this month for planning to spend £1.8m on each of the first 300 asylum seekers it plans to send to Rwanda. The overall cost of the scheme stands at more than half a billion pounds, according to the figures released to the National Audit Office.

• Immigration and asylum
• James Cleverly
• Suella Braverman
• Priti Patel

More on this story

Rwanda bill likely to be stalled at least till April after seven defeats in the Lords

Few want it, and even fewer think it will succeed. So why in the world is Sunak clinging to the Rwanda policy?

Rwanda bill could become law without independent scrutiny, says ex-watchdog

Home Office condemns ‘cruel’ Rwanda phone scam targeting asylum seekers

Passage of Rwanda deportation bill could be delayed until after Easter

Civil servants threaten ministers with legal action over Rwanda bill

Rwanda deportation bill set back again after House of Lords votes

The Lords have pulled apart the cruel and Orwellian Rwanda bill – yet still, the Tories press on

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