Canada Will Reopen Its Border to Fully Vaccinated Americans in August
Fully vaccinated travelers from the U.S. will once again be allowed to enter Canada next month, the Public Health Agency of Canada said on Monday, more than 16 months after the borders were closed to non-essential travel.
Starting Aug. 9, these eligible travelers who currently live in the U.S. will be able to visit Canada without having to quarantine upon arrival by both land and air, the government announced.
"The Government of Canada recognizes that people have been anxiously awaiting a re-opening of the border to the world," Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Bill Blair said in a statement. "We have been fully engaged with our American counterparts given the deep economic and family ties between our two countries. Today's announcement is another big step in our approach to easing border measures which is guided by facts, scientific evidence and the advice of our public health experts."
Travelers must have been vaccinated at least two weeks before their trip with either the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, or Johnson & Johnson shots. Tourists must also get tested before traveling to Canada, carry paper copies of their vaccination records, and upload their documents to the ArriveCAN app or website.
Unvaccinated children under 12 will be allowed to travel with their vaccinated U.S. parents or guardians but must get tested before coming and then again on the first day and the eighth day of their trip.
ERIC THOMAS/AFP via Getty Images Old Port, Montreal
A month later, on Sept. 7, Canada expects to open its borders to all fully-vaccinated travelers from any country "provided that Canada's COVID-19 epidemiology remains favorable."
"Thanks to the extraordinary commitment of Canadians to getting vaccinated and following public health advice, we are able to announce the easing of border measures for fully vaccinated travelers," Canada's Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra tweeted.
The land border between the U.S. and Canada has been closed to non-essential travel since March 2020 and extended each month since. Earlier this month, the country waived mandatory quarantine requirements for fully-vaccinated Canadians returning to Canada. And last week, Canada said cruise ships could resume sailing on Nov. 1.
In Canada, 68.8% of all residents have received at least one dose of a vaccine and 43.7% are fully vaccinated, according to the Canadian government. In the U.S., 56.1% of people have received at least one dose and 48.6% are fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Alison Fox is a contributing writer for Travel + Leisure. When she's not in New York City, she likes to spend her time at the beach or exploring new destinations and hopes to visit every country in the world. Follow her adventures on Instagram.
