JUST IN: Biden to Lift Travel Ban on International Visitors, But Only If They’re Vaccinated

President Joe Biden is set to require that all international travelers flying into the United States be fully vaccinated starting in November 2021.

MSNBC’s Kelly O’Donnell reported the administration’s updated travel policies on Monday, saying, “fully vaccinated individuals, foreign nationals from anywhere in the world will be permitted to visit the United States via air travel if they have full vaccination and do a test for Covid.”

The announcement ends a previous policy that restricted travel by non-U.S. citizens who had been in the United Kingdom, European Union, China, India, Iran, Republic of Ireland, Brazil, and South Africa 14 days prior to their planned travel date.

“This is a significant change that will be implemented in early November. The CDC will decide which vaccines globally are considered valid and how many shots are required to be fully vaccinated,” O’Donnell added. “There will also be contact tracing steps that will be taken as well.”

Unvaccinated Americans who traveled abroad and wish to return to the U.S. will have to undergo “specific testing requirements” in order to return.

When announcing the news, White House coronavirus coordinator Jeff Zients said the new system will include “strict protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19 from passengers flying into the United States,” adding, “International travel is critical to connecting families and friends to fueling small and large businesses to promoting the open exchange ideas and culture.”

“The new system allows us to implement strict protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19 for passengers flying internationally into the U.S.,” Zients added. “And this individual-based rather than country-based approach to risk is the right system going forward.”

The updated policies only apply to air travel, and does not affect the current restrictions on the U.S. border with Mexico or Canada.

Watch above, via MSNBC.