The US restricta travel from India starting on May 4, the White House said Friday citing a rapid surge in COVID-19 cases in the country and the emergence of potentially dangerous variants of coronavirus.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said President Biden’s administration made the determination on the advice of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“The policy will be implemented in light of extraordinarily high COVID-19 caseloads and multiple variants circulating in India,” she said.
The restrictions will not apply to American citizens and lawful residents (Green Card holders), according to details reported by some media outlets.
The new travel restrictions have been imposed for an indefinite period and will require another presidential proclamation to end it.
Earlier in week, the US issued a Level 4 travel advisory, asking its citizens to leave India as soon as possible. The State Department had urged American citizens “not to travel to India or to leave as soon as it is safe to do so”.
News agency Reuters had reported earlier on Friday that the Biden administration was set to make a formal announcement restricting travel from India.
The DGCA on Friday extended the suspension of international flights to and from India till May 31 in light of the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic.
Countries restricting travel from India:
• Australia
• Canada
• Italy
• Germany
• New Zealand
• UAE
• UK
• US And Hong Kong