Travel restrictions for persons travelling from Schengen Area

13 Mar 2020 / United States

Yesterday (11 March), President Trump President Trump announced a 30-day travel restriction on all persons traveling to the US who have been in the Schengen Area nations within the 14 days prior to their travel.

This restriction is effective as of 11:59 PM Eastern Daylight Time on Friday, 13 March 2020 (03:59 AM UTC, Saturday, 14 March). It does not apply to persons already aboard a flight scheduled to arrive to the US that departed prior to the effective time/date.

Of particular relevance to the maritime industry is that this ban will NOT apply to crew scheduled to join a vessel in the United States who have been in a Schengen Area nation in the 14 days prior to their arrival to the US. Section 2(a)(vii) states that this proclamation shall not apply to “any alien traveling as a nonimmigrant pursuant to a C-1, D, or C-1/D nonimmigrant visa as a crewmember or any alien otherwise traveling to the United State as air or sea crew.”

To assist with any planned crew movements for vessels in the US during this period, please contact your assisting GAC North America office to have a Letter of Invitation issued to facilitate the arrival of your joining crew.

For further details and updates, as well as information about operations in the United States, contact GAC North America at [email protected]

If quoting any content from Hot Port News, please cite GAC Hot Port News as the source.