US to open border with Canada, Mexico from early November

The US will lift restrictions on its land borders with Canada and Mexico to fully vaccinated foreign nationals in early November, ending historic sidewalks on non-essential travellers on the ground since March 2020 to address the COVID-19 pandemic.

US Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas stated in a statement that next month the administration "will start to allow travellers from Mexico and Canada who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to enter the United States for non-essential purposes, including for friends." and to visit family or for tourism, across land and ferry border crossings".

The new rules are similar but not identical to planned requirements announced for international air travel last month; US officials stated in a statement.

US Border states commended the action for elevating the one-time limitations that hurt local community economies and prevented families and friends from seeing each other for 19 months.

"Since the beginning of the pandemic, the members of our common cross-border community have felt the pain and economic hardship of border crossing. This pain is coming to an end, "Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement.

Unvaccinated visitors are still prohibited from entering the United States from Canada or Mexico.

Officials at President Joe Biden's administration say the White House will not comply with the "Title 42" order introduced by former President Donald Trump's administration, which has significantly cut access to asylum for hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers from Mexico.

The exact date in early November, when the restrictions on both land and aviation will be lifted, will be announced "very soon," said one of the officials.

Homeland Security said the administration "consistently establishes strict protocols for all foreign nationals travelling to the United States - be it by air, land or ferry".

Canada, on the 9th, started permitted entry for fully immunized US visitors for non-essential travel.