On December 28, 2021, President Biden signed a Presidential Proclamation titled “A Proclamation on Revoking Proclamation 10315.” This proclamation, which will take effect at 12:01 am Eastern Standard Time on December 31, 2021, revokes Presidential Proclamation (P.P.) 10315, which suspended the entry of certain noncitizens traveling as immigrants or nonimmigrants who were physically present in Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe during the 14-day period prior to their entry or attempted entry into the United States.

Pursuant to President Biden’s proclamation, as of January 1, 2022, P.P. 10315 will no longer prevent visa issuance to individuals subject to that Proclamation. Consular sections in Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe will resume routine nonimmigrant and immigrant visa services to the extent they are able. Applicants whose cases were refused solely due to their presence in a country covered by a regional COVID proclamation should contact the embassy or consulate where they made the application to request reconsideration.

Please note that the rescission of P.P. 10315 does not necessarily mean that your local U.S. embassy or consulate is able to immediately schedule all affected applicants for visa interviews. Please see the embassy/consulate website for information on what services they are offering at this time and instructions on how to apply for a visa.

The global vaccination requirement for all adult foreign national travelers announced in Presidential Proclamation 10294 remains in effect. All non-immigrant, non-citizen air travelers to the United States are required to be fully vaccinated and provide proof of vaccination status prior to boarding an airplane to the United States. Additionally, air travelers aged two and older, regardless of nationality or vaccination status, are required to show documentation of a negative viral test result taken within one day of the flight’s departure to the United States before boarding. You must show your negative result to the airline before you board your flight. That includes all travelers – U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents (LPRs), and foreign nationals. Boarding and admission to the United States remain subject to CDC vaccination requirements, pre-testing regulations, determination of admissibility by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at ports of entry, and any testing or quarantine regulations required by individual states. More information about this global vaccination and testing requirements, including details on exceptions and waivers due to humanitarian concerns, is available at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.