
PC: Traveloffpath.com<\/p><\/div>\n
Reportedly, this change is one of the very first steps towards securing the US borders against the new variant and took effect on December 6 at 12:01 am EST (5:01 am GMT).<\/strong> All USA-bound travelers, regardless of their nationality, visa type, vaccination and country of travel origin, will have to follow the new pre-departure testing timeline that has been reduced to one calendar day from 72 hours.<\/p>\nPresident Biden is likely to introduce additional measures to augment the safety of inbound international travel.<\/strong> \u201cOur doctors believe tightening testing requirements for pre-departure will help catch more cases, potential cases of people who may be positive and inside the country. This tighter testing timeline provides an added degree of public health protection as scientists continue to assess the new variant,” a senior administration official said.<\/p>\nUntil December 5, 2021, only unvaccinated Americans and Green cardholders (LPRs) were required to take a COVID-19 viral test within 24 hours before boarding a flight to the US. The 72-hour testing window was open only to vaccinated travelers flying into USA until the recent revision of the pre-departure testing timeline. According to the White House briefing dated December 2, the revised timeline applies to all US-bound international travelers, regardless of nationality and vaccination.<\/p>\n
What types of a COVID-19 viral test are acceptable for international travel to USA?<\/strong><\/h4>\nThe COVID-19 viral test that you are required to take no more than one calendar day before your scheduled departure from India should be either an antigen test or a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT). Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP), transcription-mediated amplification (TMA), nicking enzyme amplification reaction (NEAR) and helicase-dependent amplification (HDA) are various types of an NAAT. Whatever type of an NAAT test you take in India should be authorized for by the government of India for detection of COVID-19.<\/p>\n