Canadian travelers will have to wait at least another month to cross the northern border into the U.S., the Department of Homeland Security announced Wednesday.
The U.S. extended its land border restrictions to Aug. 21, just days after Canada announced that it would begin allowing nonessential travel into the country starting Aug. 9.
The border closure has kept some cross-border families apart and hampered tourism in Vermont since March 2020. As Vermont and Canada have achieved high Covid-19 vaccination rates in recent weeks, state officials have advocated for increased travel between the countries.
The latest restrictions give travelers some options. Air travel between the two countries is still allowed. Those flying into Canada or the U.S. are required to present a negative Covid-19 test from within three days before their flight.
Fully vaccinated U.S. travelers may also cross the land border into Canada starting Aug. 9, again with proof of a negative test.
Travelers by air or land must also be asymptomatic upon arrival, submit their information to the Canadian government’s ArriveCAN portal and carry a paper or digital copy of their vaccination documentation to show officials upon request. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that only fully vaccinated Americans travel internationally.
The shift in policies has created confusion over whether Americans would be allowed back into the U.S. after traveling to Canada.
Asked Tuesday about the apparent conflict — prior to the Department of Homeland Security’s latest announcement — Gov. Phil Scott said it was unclear whether an American tourist coming from Canada could be denied reentry at the land border.
“It’s one thing for the Canadian Prime Minister to open up their side of the border and allow entry, but we have to make some accommodation to get back,” Scott said.
According to the U.S. Embassy in Canada, U.S. citizens and permanent residents are exempted from restrictions on non-essential travel. But the White House has yet to clarify the new policy.
Jason Maulucci, a spokesperson for the governor’s office, said Wednesday that it appeared the current policies would allow Americans to come back after traveling to Canada.
“It’s great that Americans will be able to go north,” Maulucci said. “But we’d like to see it be reciprocated.”
Scott said Tuesday that he and other northern border governors had requested a meeting with the Biden administration to discuss the ongoing restrictions. White House officials expressed concern about the Delta variant, Scott said.
“But if you look at the data, they don’t have the Delta variant issue in Canada that we do,” Scott said. “So if anyone wants to be protected, it should have been them.”
Scott suggested that establishing requirements around proof of vaccination may be a factor in the delay from the U.S.
“How are we going to make it mandatory for you to present some sort of vaccination certificate to come back, or to cross the border into the States, as they have done in Canada?” Scott said. “So maybe that’s the problem.”