Can Americans Travel To Mexico And Canada? A Look At The Latest Guidelines

The Biden administration has extended border controls, banning non-essential crossing through at least April 21. Even essential travelers are increasingly required to pass COVID-19 screenings at the borders, a state of affairs unlikely to change until a mid-May “sea change,” CNBC reported.

It’s the second time the administration has extended the ban on non-essential travel. The move comes amid grown concerns from elected officials in states near the U.S.-Canada border.

U.S. residents who own property in Canada have had difficulty maintaining their holdings, exacerbating COVID-19’s economic impact on border communities.

That wasn’t enough for the Canadian government, which in February began requiring all travelers to pass a COVID-19 test before crossing the border. The U.S. placed that requirement on air travel in late January but allows ground crossings.

It’s unclear whether air travel restrictions alone pose much of a challenge to would-be migrants.

Rep. Tom Massie, R-Ky., cited the story of a vacationing Kentucky family barred from returning to the U.S. by air after testing positive.

“They flew to Tijuana, walked across the border to the United States, got on an airplane in San Diego and then returned to Kentucky,” Massie said on March 2.

Both the Biden and Trudeau administrations are moving very carefully to open borders, as U.S. vaccination efforts are ramping up. However, the threat of variants has experts on edge about a potential resurgence.

No officials date has been announced for a return to normal border travel, but two sources told CNBC that Biden is eying mid-May.

“There is going to be a sea change in mid-May when vaccines are more widely available to everyone,” said one senior official.