The goal of this information collection is two-fold:
To ensure that, consistent with the terms of the October 25, 2021 Amended Order Under Section 361 of The Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. § 264) and 42 Code Of Federal Regulations §§ 71.20 and 71.31(b). Requirement For Negative Pre-Departure Covid-19 Test Result Or Documentation Of Recovery From COVID-19 For All Airline Or Other Aircraft Passengers Arriving Into The United States From Any Foreign Country public health authorities in the United States can confirm that air passengers have received a negative test result for COVID-19 or, if they tested positive for the virus that causes COVID-19 in the past 3 months to have documentation that they have recovered and been cleared to travel by a licensed health care provider or public health official, prior to departing a foreign country and arriving in the United States.
To ensure that, consistent with the terms of the October 30, 2021 Amended Order Under the Presidential Proclamation titled Advancing Safe Resumption of Global Travel During the COVID-19 Pandemic and CDC’s Order Implementing Proclamation on Advancing Safe Resumption of Global Travel During the COVID-19 Pandemic, public health authorities can confirm that non-U.S Citizen, Non-U.S. Immigrant passengers are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before boarding a plane to the United States. The current Revision is submitted based on a revised COVID-19 Testing Order to shorten the timeline for required testing for all international air passengers to one day before departure to the United States. This revision strengthens already robust protocols in place for international travel, including requirements for foreign travelers to be fully vaccinated in response to the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron. The revised Order will be effective December 6, 2021.
CDC is rescinding the Amended Order: Requirement for Negative Pre-Departure Covid-19 Test Result Or Documentation Of Recovery From Covid-19 For All Airline Or Other Aircraft Passengers Arriving Into The United States From Any Foreign Country (“Amended Testing Order”). In order to align with the rescission CDC is requesting a non-substantive change to remove any references and information collections related to the Amended Testing Order in the Combined Passenger Disclosure and Attestation to the United States of America. There is decrease in estimated burden hours.
On December 2, 2021, CDC revised the COVID-19 testing Order to shorten the timeline for required testing for all international air passengers to one day before departure to the United States. This revision strengthens already robust protocols in place for international travel, including requirements for foreign travelers to be fully vaccinated in response to the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron.
Effective December 6, 2021, all air passengers 2 years or older, regardless of citizenship or vaccination status, will be to be required to show a negative pre-departure COVID-19 test taken no more than one day before they board their flight to the United States. Previously, air passengers who were fully vaccinated had could get a test no more than three days before their flight departed. Air passengers who recovered from COVID-19 in the past 90 days may instead travel with documentation of recovery from COVID-19 including their positive viral test result and a letter from a licensed healthcare provider or a public health official stating they were cleared to travel. This update requires changes to the Combined Passenger Disclosure and Attestation to the United States of America.
Additionally, to help reduce the amount of personally identifiable information collected, CDC is revising the collection of information needed to issue a humanitarian exemption to the testing requirement or a humanitarian or emergency exception to the proof of vaccination requirement.
Non-Substantive Change Request for 0920-1318 is submitted to remove language associated with COVID-19 Testing due to revised Order. Burden associated with the package is reduced by approximately 250,400,800 hours.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.