Which Vaccines are Accepted by USA for Travel (After Nov 8th)

This article was last updated and fact checked on January 28, 2023 by Mani Karthik.

As you might have already known, the US has lifted its earlier travel ban and has now decided to allow travel from 33 countries to the US.

However, the condition is that eligible travelers to the US will have to have taken the two doses of vaccines. But which vaccines are accepted in the US?

When traveling to the USA after November 8th, the following vaccines (double doses) are accepted.

• Moderna (Spikevax)
• AstraZeneca, including Covishield
• Covaxin
• Pfizer/BioNTech (Comirnaty)
• Johnson & Johnson (Janssen)
• Sinopharm (Beijing)
• Sinovac (CoronaVac)
• Pfizer (already approved by the US Food and Drug Administration FDA)
• Moderna (already approved by the US Food and Drug Administration FDA)
• Janssen (already approved by the US Food and Drug Administration FDA).

Even though the US has mandated vaccinations for all, there are several exceptions.

According to the White House, the following categories will be exempt from vaccination requirements:

• COVID-19 study participants aged 18 and under
• Those unable to get vaccinated owing to medical issues
• Those seeking refuge in the US
• People from places where vaccinations are scarce

While traveling to the USA, you need to carry the following vaccination documents.

• Certificate of vaccination issued by a Government authority or widely accepted laboratory.
• Identity proof matching the vaccination records.

Travelers to the US should wait at least 14 days after their last dose before entering the US or boarding the plane.

Travelers will be checked before boarding the plane by the airline crew for proof of vaccination.

They will check and establish whether the vaccine certificate provided is official and approved in the US on arrival.

Can people who took Covaxin vaccination travel to the US?

Yes. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said shortly after the WHO added Covaxin to its Emergency Use List that the vaccine will be recognized for travel to the US.

Can people who got vaccinated with Covishield travel to the US?

Yes. Covishiled is included in the initial list of vaccines approved for travel to the US after November 8th, 2021.

Context: An international travel ban for fully vaccinated tourists from 33 nations was lifted by the US on November 8th. (Source)