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US Travel, Great News: Trumps Says Europeans Will Soon Be Welcome

This article is more than 3 years old.

U.S. travel will soon be possible for some travelers from Europe says Donald Trump. President Trump says the U.S. plans to “open up” to travelers arriving from low-risk countries in Europe and elsewhere. This means many Europeans may soon be able to plan American vacations or business trips.

Trump’s travel ban has put a block on all travelers coming from 26 European countries as well as the U.K. and Ireland since March 13. Not just European citizens and residents, but anyone who has set foot in those places in the previous fortnight.

Speaking of the new Brazil flight ban on Wednesday, President Trump indicated the Europe travel restrictions will soon ease. At least for some arrivals. Travelers coming from countries with low Covid-19 risk profiles will be given the green light first he hinted.

“Certain announcements on countries including Europe” are to come Trump said. “Where they’re starting to make progress we’ll open it up. But only where they’re making progress ... They’re making some good progress. So are we.”

First unfurled for a 30 day period, then extended indefinitely, the ban has stopped hundreds of thousands of travelers in Europe from visiting America for leisure, work or family reasons. At the same it’s complicated the lives of many people who have a transatlantic existence. Though don’t necessarily have double citizenship or permanent residency.

The idea was to prevent travelers coming into the U.S. from Covid-19 hotspots, which Europe was at the time. Now with travel restrictions across Europe tumbling to make way for summer tourism, it’s only natural the U.S. looks to easing the rules, and rekindling Europe flights.

It won’t necessarily be reciprocal. While Europe’s internal border controls are ending, there is still doubt as to whether the EU’s external borders will open to foreigners on June 15. Given the U.S. is seen as a high-risk country, some European states don’t plan to allow American tourists at the outset as they open up to tourism. Others are yet to give details.

As to the U.K., there’s even talk of Americans dodging the British quarantine on arrival, with a bilateral deal to enable people to travel between the two over coming weeks. The exemption is yet to be announced however, with the quarantine measures starting on June 8.

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