At long last.

US President Joe Biden has officially signed a proclamation that will change America’s tight travel restrictions for many visitors.

Starting November 8th, fully vaccinated travellers from Ireland will be permitted to enter the United States again, pending proof of vaccination, and a negative viral test taken in the three days prior to travel.

Irish people – as well as people from countries around the world, including the UK, European Union, China, India and Brazil – had been prohibited from visiting the US since the first few months of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The proclamation reads: “It is in the interests of the United States to move away from the country-by-country restrictions previously applied during the Covid-19 pandemic and to adopt an air travel policy that relies primarily on vaccination to advance the safe resumption of international air travel to the United States.”

Children under the age of 18 are exempt from these requirements. Other exemptions may also be issued in specific circumstances, such as for individuals who are part of clinical Covid vaccine trials, or for those who need to travel for humanitarian or emergency reasons