State Department Lifts Blanketed Warning on Foreign Travel
During the first full week of August, the Trump administration lifted its blanket warning against international travel in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The administration is now providing country-specific recommendations.
The State Department, in close coordination with the CDC, has changed the warning system and will replace the Level 4 Health Advisory announced March 19 that advised U.S. citizens to avoid all international travel due to the global impact of Covid-19.
“With health and safety conditions improving in some countries and potentially deteriorating in others, the Department is returning to our previous system of country-specific levels of travel advice (with Levels from 1-4 depending on country-specific conditions) in order to give travelers detailed and actionable information to make informed travel decisions,” the State Department said in a statement.
The department noted U.S. citizens should still “exercise caution when traveling abroad due to the unpredictable nature of the pandemic.”
However, the new warning continues to place a handful of countries with a Level 4 Do Not Travel warning related to Covid-19. This included the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas, and Peru. The full list places most European countries at Level 3. With the current state of our domestic COVID-19 outbreak, travelers from the U.S., are not permitted to visit the EU, the U.K., or Canada for nonessential travel, among other nations.
AAA Travel is here to help members understand the restrictions and regulations placed on travel, domestic or abroad. With Agents undergoing SmartDepart Certification, our travel team is educated and equipped to help you make safer travel decisions. Through this certification program, AAA Travel Agents have become educated in proper safety guidelines as they apply to air, car, hotel and resort bookings. The certified team is also monitoring the state department’s warnings in real-time, ensuring no traveler is left in the dark about the global situation and any impact on future travel.
As a first step in planning any trip abroad, SmartDepart Agents will review the Travel Advisories for your intended destination. You can see the world at a glance on the government’s color-coded map. It is important to note that conditions can change rapidly in a country at any time. To receive updated Travel Advisories and Alerts, AAA Travel Agents receive real-time updates from the government, and you can too. Choose the method that works best for you at travel.state.gov/stayingconnected
To speak to your AAA Travel Agent, please call 1-800-222-7448.