On April 30, 2021, the Biden administration issued a
proclamation that implements restrictions for travelers
from India, due to concerns regarding COVID-19. Pursuant to the
proclamation, noncitizens who have been physically present in India
within 14 days of travel to the United States will be barred entry,
unless eligible for an exception. The restrictions are scheduled to
take effect on May 4, 2021, at 12:01 am eastern daylight time.
As rationale for this proclamation, the administration cites the
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC)
assessment of the concerning public health situation—as well
as the discovery of multiple variant strains of the virus—in
India. By implementing this additional travel restriction, the
administration asserts its commitment "to implement
science-based public health measures, across all areas of the
Federal Government, [and] to act swiftly and aggressively to
prevent further spread of the disease."
