I have booked a flight on British Airways flying from London to Philadelphia with a "Visa Packet" (have immigrant visa approval Form I-797)
My flight is booked for April 21. I would like to keep this ticket in hopes Covid-19 restrictions will have been lifted. However, Philadelphia is currently NOT on the list of cities that are accepting travelers arriving on the legal permanent resident visa. ref. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/03/19/2020-05783/notification-of-arrival-restrictions-applicable-to-flights-carrying-persons-who-have-recently
Is it my best bet to try to change my flight to arrive at one of the approved cities? Should I just keep my fingers crossed and hope restrictions are lifted? As I've already submitted paperwork to end my lease, and my landlord has found a tenant to take over my flat, I will be in a terrible spot affording to find other accommodations as I await a viable alternative to the travel dates I anticipated. Thank you.
Best Answer
Is it my best bet to try to change my flight to arrive at one of the approved cities? Should I just keep my fingers crossed and hope restrictions are lifted? As I've already submitted paperwork to end my lease, and my landlord has found a tenant to take over my flat, I will be in a terrible spot affording to find other accommodations as I await a viable alternative to the travel dates I anticipated.
Your only hope of entering the US on April 21, as far as I can see, is to find somewhere that isn't subject to a travel restriction and get yourself there by April 7. The presidential proclamation of March 14 suspends entry of aliens "who were physically present within the United Kingdom, excluding overseas territories outside of Europe, or the Republic of Ireland during the 14-day period preceding their entry."
Permanent residents are exempt from that suspension, but you are not yet a permanent resident.
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Does British Airways require a PCR test?
If you are boarding a flight bound for the USA, you no longer require a pre-departure COVID-19 test.Is VeriFLY required?
VeriFLY is a free travel verification service that partners with select airlines for select destinations. While use of VeriFLY isn't necessary, it does make the check-in process significantly easier.Do travelers to the US have to quarantine?
As of 12:01AM ET on June 12, 2022, CDC will no longer require air passengers traveling from a foreign country to the United States to show a negative COVID-19 viral test or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 before they board their flight.Is British Airways domestic or international?
British Airways serves over 160 destinations, including eight domestic and 24 in the United States.How to book a flight with British Airways
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Answer 2
No one knows if the travel restrictions presently in place will be lifted by April 21. Lifting restrictions is a political decision that will be made in the future, and probably the people who will make the decision don't even know now what they're going to do then.
Your options and choices will reduce the longer you wait to act. And as your options and choices constrict, your tension and uncertainty will rise.
Thus, the best course of action is to now change your flight to arrive at approved airport, and as @phoog comments below, to make sure you're eligible to enter the US as an immigrant by not arriving from the UK, Ireland, or the Schengen area and having been outside all those areas for at least 14 days.
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