UK-US travel, 2021/2022

[Plague]

Previous thread got locked, probably because it strayed too far across the 'politics' boundary set by the forum mods, which is fair enough. [Edit. I just noticed it was on page 13, so maybe ... ]

So we've been warned and now had a shot across the bows.

 

[tinkerbell1991]

Although I'm not going this year, I'll still be lurking to keep up to date with what's going on with travel news/restrictions

I don't mean this to come across as rude but the previous thread began to turn into a he said she said one

Could we try to post facts or if there are rumours in the news, links to these articles? Not just utter tripe that some people maybe post just to cause drama such as Betty down the road telling me borders wouldn't open until 2056

 

[SirDuff]

I was able to make it into the US to see family (actually just got back to Europe this morning - I’m not in the UK, but am « tagging » onto this thread), by spending two weeks in Canada first (I’m a Canadian living in Europe with family in the US, so usually split my trips home between the two countries anyway).

I’m not convinced that anyone checked how long it had been since I was in Europe when I flew into the US (I assume that the US can only see my entries/exits into the US when my passport is scanned and no one looked for Schengen exit stamps - but perhaps the US can see all my entries/exits), though not something that I’d risk.

I’m hoping to visit friends in the US in October (I have a forced month off), but that is seeming more and more unlikely (unless I do the two weeks in Canada first again).

 

[mamamia2005]

OP.
In answer to your post to me saying Joe was opening the US borders to the Canadians, I know he isn't at this time. I was being sarcastic.

 

[Plague]

by spending two weeks in Canada first

I'm confused by the US-Canada border rules at present.
Does that work because of your family connections and/or Canadian citizenship, or is that a general thing?
Is it only land travel that's blocked?

 

[SirDuff]

I'm confused by the US-Canada border rules at present.
Does that work because of your family connections and/or Canadian citizenship, or is that a general thing?
Is it only land travel that's blocked?

Only land travel is blocked (air travel has never been blocked). There is no restriction based on citizenship/residency on who can enter the US from Canada (just need a negative test). The « Europe ban » is based on having been in Europe, not based on citizenship of a European country.

Given that Canada is opening its border to vaccinated Europeans as of 9-September, I think that anyone could do what I did (though not everyone can spend that long on holiday - I was working remotely part of my time in Canada).

 

[MichelinMan]

I think the mods need to be a bit more lenient on this thread. Discussions about whether we will get access to the US are all political at the moment, and figures very highly in the minds of us Brits who have thousands of pounds tied up in expensive Florida trips. I was finding the discussions about what is happening with Canada informative.

 

[Plague]

I think the mods need to be a bit more lenient on this thread.

I think their rules are OK really. One particular aspect of that discussion was getting out of hand and needed attention.
As with many forums the locking of a thread with no explanation seems clumsy as noone is then sure what caused it, but for a busy mod it's probably the quickest action to take.

Discussions about whether we will get access to the US are all political at the moment

In a national sense, yes. But we don't need to start dissecting the internal politics of the USA to address that.

 

[Plague]

Given that Canada is opening its border to vaccinated Europeans as of 9-September

Ah, that's probably where I lost the plot. We can't (yet) go via Canada because they won't let us in

 

[SirDuff]

Ah, that's probably where I lost the plot. We can't (yet) go via Canada because they won't let us in

Yup. Though you won’t let us in either (though, like Canada’s rules for UK residents, that it changing too).

 

[Plague]

I’m not convinced that anyone checked how long it had been since I was in Europe when I flew into the US (I assume that the US can only see my entries/exits into the US when my passport is scanned and no one looked for Schengen exit stamps - but perhaps the US can see all my entries/exits), though not something that I’d risk.

I'm pretty sure it's all hooked up by the computer systems.

But I have been wondering what constitutes 14 days.
Is it 14*24 hours from wheels up this side to touchdown/immigration control in the US? Or something else?
I wonder because I am planning (in my mind) on booking 14 nights somewhere, but could I then arrive in the US a little short on the required time. "Sorry sir, you're a few hours early. You'll be deported and have to try again."

 

[mamamia2005]

I read of someone on fb who went to WDW via Mexico, but they had to stay in Mexico for 15 days, as the day you land is not counted. Your first full day is day 1.

 

[Plague]

I read of someone on fb who went to WDW via Mexico, but they had to stay in Mexico for 15 days, as the day you land is not counted. Your first full day is day 1.

So was that 16 nights in Mexico?

 

[mamamia2005]

So was that 16 nights in Mexico?

I just searched for the post -yes 16 nights in Mexico.

 

[SirDuff]

But I have been wondering what constitutes 14 days.
Is it 14*24 hours from wheels up this side to touchdown/immigration control in the US? Or something else?
I wonder because I am planning (in my mind) on booking 14 nights somewhere, but could I then arrive in the US a little short on the required time. "Sorry sir, you're a few hours early. You'll be deported and have to try again."

It’s the number of days you are out of Europe not the number of days you are in Canada (so, you could be in a number of different (non-Europe) countries) and it is days not hours (as an aside, their testing is days not hours as well (whereas Canada’s is hours)). You have to not have been in Europe in the last 14 days, so the day you leave doesn’t count (since you were in Europe that day). I arrived in Canada on a Thursday and left two Fridays later. So, 15 nights/14 days out of Europe.

 

[Plague]

Thanks guys. That's useful, though annoying as it obviously ups the budget another night.
I've been looking at options - so far Bahamas, Turks & Caicos and Canada, but all have 'in public' mask requirements which I'm not prepared to go with and the Bahamas is currently seeing a sharp rise in infections too. (Disney's current policy of 'masks indoors, optional out' seems sensible, but if that changes back to 'except when stopped and eating/drinking' I'll definitely be cancelling the whole thing anyway.)

I shall keep looking

Edit: Dang! The Azores are part of the Schengen Zone. Onwards ...

 

[Plague]

My optimism got the better of me today, which is somewhat out of character for a pessimist like me, and seeing the item on the Ferrytale Fireworks event on DFB I booked me a date in early November.
I wasn't going to bother booking any dining (which opened today for me) but now I'm not so sure.
Aaaarrrrggghhh

 

[Twinkbelle]

I'm trying my best to be patinet, and to be thankful that I don't have a trip to the US booked so I'm not in the position that some people are in where a lot of money is tied down in a trip that they don't know if will go ahead or not.

I'm just struggling a bit not knowing when or if I'll be able to get on that plane again! I was hoping to go to NYC in October I'm starting to accept that isn't happening and the odds of any trip this side of Christmas are slim to zero. WDW next year is something that might be on the cards but I guess I'll have to just wait and see.

If I win the lottery in the mean time then I'll spend two weeks on a beach somewhere and get a flight to the US. It's good to have options

 

[disneyholic family]

Only land travel is blocked (air travel has never been blocked). There is no restriction based on citizenship/residency on who can enter the US from Canada (just need a negative test). The « Europe ban » is based on having been in Europe, not based on citizenship of a European country.

Given that Canada is opening its border to vaccinated Europeans as of 9-September, I think that anyone could do what I did (though not everyone can spend that long on holiday - I was working remotely part of my time in Canada).

i didn't realize it was only land. I was thinking about flying via canada because it was so much cheaper but didn't because of the ban.

 

[Plague]

This is not a good omen:
EU drops U.S. from list of COVID-safe countries for travel
(Reuters, 2 min read)

And Florida cases still seem to be climbing, even if not rapidly.