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[Archive] International Arrival Outlook

Updated 10/29/2020

Heading into late 2020 and early 2021, the international travel and arrival environment for international students and scholars remains extremely challenging. This is in part due to ongoing pandemic conditions, which have in certain areas (including the US) shown signs of significant worsening rather than improvement. The International Center continues to remain

  1. US consular and visa services remain partially suspended, although many students will obtain visas for January 2021 arrival. As of October 2020, many US consulates worldwide have resumed partial visa operations. The most notable exception is China, where US consular and visa operations - while not completely closed - remain largely unavailable to normal traffic. Even in countries where visa operations have resumed, appointments are subject to frequent cancelation or rescheduling. However,  many students who were unable to arrive in the US for September 2020 have managed to secure, or are expected to secure, visas for January 2021 arrival. The International Center continues to monitor the situation and is working with individual students regarding their visa situations.
  2. The US continues to suspend entry from certain countries and regions due to COVID-19. The US continues to maintain COVID-19 related suspensions on entry to the US for (most) persons who were physically present in the following countries or regions at any point in the 14 days prior to attempted entry: China, the Schengen area of Western Europe (and the United Kingdom and Ireland), Iran, and Brazil. (Note that as of mid-July 2020, F-1 students coming to the US from the Schengen area are being granted automatic exceptions to the COVID-19 entry suspensions.) Additional suspensions may be imposed depending on how the pandemic evolves in different countries and regions. Land and rail entry to the US from Canada and Mexico remains subject to restrictions, although these restrictions should not apply to students seeking entry near the start of their respective programs in the US. Updates regarding these suspensions are posted on the International Center COVID-19 site at https://icenter.tufts.edu/immigration/covid-19.
  3. International travel continues to be constrained by limited flight availability and ongoing boarding restrictions due to COVID-19. International air travel continues to be hampered by limited / restricted flight availability and, in certain areas, strikingly higher flight costs. The ability of students to find cost-effective transportation to the US continues to fluctuate and requires ongoing monitoring. In addition, different countries have imposed boarding restrictions that may continue to limit the ability of potentially affected persons to board flights to the US without undergoing quarantine periods.
  4. Quarantine and self-isolation protocols remain in effect. Due to COVID-19 conditions, international and US based quarantine requirements remain in place and may affect international departure and arrival in the US. In addition, University policy currently requires students to go into self-isolation upon arrival at campus. For updates on University policy, go to https://coronavirus.tufts.edu.

It is important to emphasize that despite these challenges, we are anticipating arrivals for Spring 2021, including both returning students and students whose Fall 2020 visa delays have or will be resolved. Please contact the International Center if there are any questions regarding Spring 2021 arrivals.