Is covid vaccine required to enter US with a K1 visa?

[Chancy 6,241]

On 11/12/2021 at 7:19 AM, Daisy.Chain said:

OP was talking about immigration requirements, not boarding the plane. 

 

The topic is actually about requirements for boarding the plane.  All COVID-related travel requirements are checked prior to boarding.  There is no exemption based on religious/moral grounds, regardless of whether the traveler is a USC or not.

 

On 11/10/2021 at 1:19 AM, Monica.44 said:

if K1 visa considered an immigration visa and we can enter the US with negative PCR test 24 hrs before the flight time or are we required to take the vaccine as well?

 

[Merica-n 65]

12 hours ago, Chancy said:

The topic is actually about requirements for boarding the plane.  All COVID-related travel requirements are checked prior to boarding.  There is no exemption based on religious/moral grounds, regardless of whether the traveler is a USC or not.

This is incorrect.  There is no vaccination requirement to board the plane for US Citizens, US Nationals, US Lawful Permanent Residents, and Immigrants with a valid Immigrant visa. (K-1 is not an immigrant visa)

 

Immigrant vaccination requirements are enforced by Immigrants needing them to pass the immigrant medical exam, which requires covid vaccination after 10/1/2021, but allows for many more waivers than non-immigrants get boarding the plane, like consideration of vaccine availability and the possibility of getting a religious exemption through form I-601.

 

As an aside, Biden doesn't have the authority to bar US Citizens from returning to the USA under the INA, which the proclamation stems from.

Edited November 13, 2021 by Merica-n

[Chancy 6,241]

18 hours ago, Merica-n said:

This is incorrect.  There is no vaccination requirement to board the plane for US Citizens, US Nationals, US Lawful Permanent Residents, and Immigrants with a valid Immigrant visa. (K-1 is not an immigrant visa)

 

Please re-read carefully what I wrote.  I said "COVID-related travel requirements", not just vaccination.  All travelers, whether USC or not, have to comply with these new requirements.  USC, LPR, immigrant travelers now have stricter requirements for COVID testing if they are not fully vaccinated -- negative test results taken within 1 day prior to boarding, instead of 3 days prior.

 

19 hours ago, Merica-n said:

As an aside, Biden doesn't have the authority to bar US Citizens from returning to the USA under the INA, which the proclamation stems from.

 

It doesn't matter with air travel.  The responsibility for checking compliance to the new requirements was delegated to the airlines.  Airlines can refuse anyone from boarding, USC or not.

 

[Daisy.Chain 317]

On 11/13/2021 at 12:25 AM, Chancy said:

 

The topic is actually about requirements for boarding the plane.  All COVID-related travel requirements are checked prior to boarding.  There is no exemption based on religious/moral grounds, regardless of whether the traveler is a USC or not.

 

 

Usc travelers are NOT barred from the US whether they have had a covid vaccine or not. People who have chosen not to get a covid vaccine don't even need to present the exemption form, just the negative PCR test.

 

I suspect that the same would hold true for an immigrant (or K1) but that they would need the exemption form...but am not sure.

 

Anyone -whether they have a covid vaccine or not- could likely walk unchecked across the Southern border, though. Even the illegal immigrants who are caught and are positive for covid are permitted entry! (I do not condone that action, and it is not legal to do it, it is just irritating that people do)

Edited November 14, 2021 by Daisy.Chain
Additional info

[Daisy.Chain 317]

Because it makes you wonder what the point of the negative test req is if it's only done at some borders..

[Chancy 6,241]

38 minutes ago, Daisy.Chain said:

Usc travelers are NOT barred from the US whether they have had a covid vaccine or not. People who have chosen not to get a covid vaccine don't even need to present the exemption form, just the negative PCR test.

 

Again, please re-read my comment carefully.  Also the one above yours -- https://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/773974-is-covid-vaccine-required-to-enter-us-with-a-k1-visa/?do=findComment&comment=10574321

 

Edited November 14, 2021 by Chancy

[Daisy.Chain 317]

5 hours ago, Chancy said:

 

Again, please re-read my comment carefully.  Also the one above yours -- https://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/773974-is-covid-vaccine-required-to-enter-us-with-a-k1-visa/?do=findComment&comment=10574321

 

Wait, are you saying US citizens can't enter if they do not have one of the covid vaccines?

If so, that is certainly not accurate. The US travel.state.gov states "U.S. citizens and Legal Permanent Residents (LPRs) who are eligible to travel but are not fully vaccinated will need to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test one (1) day before their flight’s departure. U.S citizens and LPRs who are fully vaccinated will need to present airlines with proof of vaccination  and of a negative COVID-19 test three (3) days before their flight."

 

If you're talking about non US citizens or non-LPR's by air, I am not 100% sure. The website doesn't indicate it (outside of emergency/humanitarian parole and a few other cases) but my tendency is to believe that there may be an unadvertised religious exemption under humanitarian parole - I've heard of this happening due to people with firm religious beliefs in a difficult situation- or that if it is in place that would change as soon as the current proclamation is struck down. Now if Biden could issue a proclamation about stopping illegal immigrants positive for covid from crossing the border (or at all?) and enforce it instead of bussing them to cities around the country, such a proclamation might be more logical!

 

Additionally, as the proposed requirements are only by air perhaps people who do not wish the covid vaccine should consider entry via land or sea.

Edited November 14, 2021 by Daisy.Chain
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[Merica-n 65]

17 hours ago, Daisy.Chain said:

The website doesn't indicate it (outside of emergency/humanitarian parole and a few other cases) but my tendency is to believe that there may be an unadvertised religious exemption under humanitarian parole - I've heard of this happening due to people with firm religious beliefs in a difficult situation- or that if it is in place that would change as soon as the current proclamation is struck down.

The website does indicate it!  For the vaccine, it specifically says there is no religious exception for non-immigrants traveling by air, and immigrants going through the medical exam should apply via form I-601 if they believe a religious exception applies.

[Marina89 1]

Hello,

when I called to schedule a medical exam, the lady told me that it’s better to take the covid vaccine. 

[Merica-n 65]

12 hours ago, Marina89 said:

when I called to schedule a medical exam, the lady told me that it’s better to take the covid vaccine. 

I would suggest taking an FDA approved vaccine (Pfizer, Moderna or JnJ) if you can find it, or world health organization if you can't get an american approved vaccine.

 

We were just under the impression it's hard to come by in Egypt.

[Marina89 1]

@Merica-n yes I already took J and J 🙏🙏