News

New COVID Testing Requirement for U.S. Entry as of January 26

On January 12 the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] announced a COVID-19 testing requirement for all air passengers entering the U.S. Effective January 26, all travelers will be required to provide documentation of a negative COVID-19 test before they will be allowed to board their flight to the U.S. The test must be administered within 72 hours of the departure flight to the U.S. and travelers must provide written documentation by paper or electronic copy of a negative test result to the airline. Airlines will deny boarding to travelers who cannot comply with this requirement. If you are planning travel to the U.S. on or after January 26, please consult your airline for specific procedures for presenting your testing results.

Please note that this new federal requirement does not affect or change the university’s testing requirements as outlined in the Return to Campus guide.

If your planned entry to the U.S. will be delayed due to this requirement, we recommend that you inform your JHU department and OIS of the change in your travel plans. In general, students entering the U.S. in F-1 status with an “initial” I-20 can do so up to 30 days after the start date on their form I-20 but it is important to ensure that a late arrival will not negatively impact academic progress in your program.