COVID-19 European Travel Ban

Over the past 24 hours there have been new restrictions placed on travel due to COVID-19.  President Donald Trump announced Wednesday evening that the United States will suspend most travel from Europe in an attempt to limit the spread of the virus. These restrictions will be made effective Friday, March 13th at 11:59 p.m. U.S. eastern time and are expected to remain in place for 30 days, though the initial proclamation did not confirm an end date.

The restrictions outlined in an official proclamation released after the announcement do not completely ban all travelers from entering the United States from Europe’s Schengen Area, and travel to Europe from the United States remains unrestricted. Travel from the United Kingdom will not be subjected to the restrictions.

Permanent residents and citizens of the United States will not be banned from returning from Europe, but Vice President Mike Pence announced Thursday morning that they would be screened at one of thirteen select airports and asked to self-quarantine for 14 days. Pence did not confirm which airports will be used.

Non-U.S. citizens who were physically present within the Schengen Area countries during the 14 days preceding their attempted entry into the United States will be subjected to these limitations. Non-U.S. citizens who are the spouse, sibling, guardian, or child of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident will not be affected by these limitations, nor will non-citizens who meet certain requirements set forth by the proclamation or who have boarded a plane prior to the effective date.

The Schengen Area includes the following countries:

  1. Austria
  2. Belgium
  3. Czech Republic
  4. Denmark
  5. Estonia
  6. Finland
  7. France
  8. Germany
  9. Greece
  10. Hungary
  11. Iceland
  12. Italy
  13. Latvia
  14. Lichtenstein
  15. Lithuania
  16. Luxembourg
  17. Malta
  18. Netherlands
  19. Norway
  20. Poland
  21. Portugal
  22. Slovakia
  23. Slovenia
  24. Spain
  25. Sweden
  26. Switzerland

World Travel, Inc. continues to take steps to ensure our clients and their travelers are taken care of during this time. Our team is committed to managing each traveler request and is working to re-accommodate current travel plans and support future reservations. To help ensure policy changes are enforced our travel messaging options are available to clients to communicate changes to travelers.

We understand the hesitation and concern COVID-19 is placing on travel and although it is important to remain vigilant and aware of the impact of this virus, travel is an essential aspect of our lives and our businesses and cannot cease. Our dedicated team continues to monitor the situation and ensure that our clients are prepared and supported while they travel.

Thank you for your trust in World Travel, Inc.