The United States’ land borders will be reopened to non-essential travel.

The land borders of the United States leading to Mexico and Canada have been closed to non-essential travel since the COVID-19 pandemic began in earnest in March of 2020. As vaccination efforts continue in all three countries, however, the prospect of international travel has become more feasible, at least on the ground level. As such, government officials announced today that both borders will reopen to fully vaccinated foreign national tourists in early November.

“This is an important step that will further enhance the safety of international travel and the safety of Americans at home,” senior administration officials said in a call with reporters. “These new vaccination requirements deploy the best tool we have in our arsenal to keep people safe and prevent the spread of COVID-19.”

“We want to have a consistent approach to both land and air entry into this country. And so this is the next step to bring those into alignment,” the officials added.

The November reopening will be the first phase in a two-phase process. In the first phase, foreign nationals will be permitted to enter the United States for any reason, provided they’re fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Unvaccinated travelers will only be allowed entry for essential reasons. Phase two will begin in January, and at this point full vaccination will be a requirement for both essential and nonessential travel.

“This phased approach will provide ample time for essential travelers such as truckers and others to get vaccinated, enabling a smooth transition to this new system,” the officials explained.