Omicron Covid Variant and US Immigration Impact Thoughts?

[stag 51]

Do you believe the US may ban foreign citizens (including K1) from entering because of this new variant or will they stick to the vaccinated policy in place now?

[canadian_wife 1,791]

It is not fruitful to speculate.  That will cause worry and panic.  Nothing anyone can do. I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy.

 

good luck 

[Redro 4,598]

15 minutes ago, stag said:

Do you believe the US may ban foreign citizens (including K1) from entering because of this new variant or will they stick to the vaccinated policy in place now?

SA K1s might be on the ban BUT K1 will hopefully be able to enter... if not, plan on having the fiance fly to Mexico (or another GREEN country that SA citizens/ travelers flying from SA can fly to )  for 2 weeks before entering the States. 

[powerpuff 5,892]

~ Moved from K1 Process to COVID 19 ~
 

When Delta was raging, they only restricted those coming from India and even then, K1s were National interest exceptions (NIE) and could still travel directly from India despite the restriction.

[Mike E 11,723]

6 hours ago, canadian_wife said:

It is not fruitful to speculate.  That will cause worry and panic.  Nothing anyone can do. I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy.

 

good luck 

No more need to speculate 

https://www.politico.com/news/2021/11/26/biden-admin-announces-travel-ban-for-south-africa-and-7-other-countries-citing-new-variant-523394

 

 

 

[millefleur 5,035]

6 minutes ago, Mike E said:

No more need to speculate 

https://www.politico.com/news/2021/11/26/biden-admin-announces-travel-ban-for-south-africa-and-7-other-countries-citing-new-variant-523394

I'm kinda shocked how quickly they got that ban in. I just hope it helps contain the spread. I assume K-1's and immigrant visas will be exempt.

 

Country list:

Quote

The travel restrictions will begin Monday, affecting South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi, according to a senior administration official.

 

[From_CAN_2_US 1,097]

12 minutes ago, millefleur said:

I'm kinda shocked how quickly they got that ban in. I just hope it helps contain the spread. I assume K-1's and immigrant visas will be exempt.

 

Country list:

 

The way I understand it, it is not a ban on nationals of those countries. It is a ban on flights from those countries. Nationals of these countries regardless of whether they are K1/ immigrant/ non-immigrant can come to the US by flying from another country.

[Mike E 11,723]

1 hour ago, millefleur said:

I'm kinda shocked how quickly they got that ban in. I just hope it helps contain the spread. I assume K-1's and immigrant visas will be exempt.

 

Country list:

 

I’m certain it will do nothing to contain the spread. 

[Mike&Heidi 10]

Trying to ascertain what this will mean for the trip my wife and I had scheduled for 17DEC21. She's got her Advance Parole doc, but still doesn't fit the exception for LPR. I wonder where that puts her...

Unfortunate timing.

[Mike E 11,723]

45 minutes ago, Mike&Heidi said:

Trying to ascertain what this will mean for the trip my wife and I had scheduled for 17DEC21. She's got her Advance Parole doc, but still doesn't fit the exception for LPR. I wonder where that puts her...

Unfortunate timing.

Some AP holders report success returning to the USA from banned countries.  
 

It comes down to whether the airline boards or not. 

[slavaskii 885]

I mean, it's too late to really get this under control, it's my understanding it's already confirmed in Canada, Hong Kong, and Belgium. I agree with @millefleur that the bans for Omnicron were incredibly swift. But remember that Delta, too, produced this reaction and while there were immediate bans, countries actually opened during Delta. Take the US for example - I didn't even realize Delta was the most prevalent strain here for months now, and I follow the news pretty avidly.

 

Johnson is already testing and Pfizer is looking into modifying their vaccine, apparently. Even if Omnicron spreads rapidly and is heavily mutated, I'm not sure if we have any correlation between spread and risk of harm. So long as this doesn't start wiping out vaccinated young people, I don't think we'll see further restrictions. I feel awful for those from South Africa, though, they haven't been able to catch a break in forever. 

[millefleur 5,035]

1 hour ago, Mike&Heidi said:

Trying to ascertain what this will mean for the trip my wife and I had scheduled for 17DEC21. She's got her Advance Parole doc, but still doesn't fit the exception for LPR. I wonder where that puts her...

Unfortunate timing.

If she's planning to travel soon, I would call the airlines. They are the ones who do all the vetting with vaccines, visas and travel bans. Let us know if you find anything out.

[retheem 553]

4 hours ago, Mike&Heidi said:

Trying to ascertain what this will mean for the trip my wife and I had scheduled for 17DEC21. She's got her Advance Parole doc, but still doesn't fit the exception for LPR. I wonder where that puts her...

Unfortunate timing.

If you don't have to travel, I suggest you hold off until everything is under control

[Redro 4,598]

3 hours ago, slavaskii said:

I mean, it's too late to really get this under control, it's my understanding it's already confirmed in Canada, Hong Kong, and Belgium. I agree with @millefleur that the bans for Omnicron were incredibly swift. But remember that Delta, too, produced this reaction and while there were immediate bans, countries actually opened during Delta. Take the US for example - I didn't even realize Delta was the most prevalent strain here for months now, and I follow the news pretty avidly.

 

Johnson is already testing and Pfizer is looking into modifying their vaccine, apparently. Even if Omnicron spreads rapidly and is heavily mutated, I'm not sure if we have any correlation between spread and risk of harm. So long as this doesn't start wiping out vaccinated young people, I don't think we'll see further restrictions. I feel awful for those from South Africa, though, they haven't been able to catch a break in forever. 

They also found a case in Israel. 

SA finally managed to get off the red list in the UK and now they are back on it! People in SA are angry

 

 

[Boiler 43,430]

The comments in the UK Media etc where the ban comes in Sunday was that it was far too late, should have happened immediately.