Flying to the United States, is it possible? Here are the latest updates

Resists the Ban of the United States for tourist, i.e., nonessential, travel by those from the Schengen area, as well as from the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Brazil, South Africa, China and India.

Anyone from non-risk countries can also set foot on U.S. soil for pleasure. As for Canada e Mexico, on the other hand, crossing the border by land is prohibited. It is different by air, considering how in the case of Canada a blockade remains until July 21, while there is a green light to and from Mexico.

National Interest Exception

Are there exceptions for those who want to enter the United States while coming from the Schengen area or other countries subject to bans? It is necessary to talk about NIE, viz. National Interest Exception. This is a program that allows travel to the U.S., provided the individual in question qualifies in a specific category. In general terms, students, business travelers, investors, academics are eligible.

Specifically, life-support subjects are allowed in certain areas:

• chemist
• commercial
• communications
• manufacturing
• dams and hydroelectric plants
• defense industry
• emergency services
• energy
• finance
• food and agriculture
• government
• health care and public health
• information technology
• nuclear
• transportation
• drinking water and wastewater

All students traveling to the United States to pursue a full course of study or take part in an exchange program are eligible, as are their dependents. On the academic front, however, room is made for professors, researchers, short-term students and specialists.

In addition, the following categories are added:

• Urgent medical care
• Public health
• Humanitarian sector
• Medical escorts, legal guardians
• Media representatives and journalists
• Spouses and minor children, with visas, entitled to derivative status from a principal applicant currently in the U.S.
• Athletes and their staff

It is necessary to specify how from July 6, 2021, NIE authorizations have validity of 12 months, allowing multiple inputs. It is important to know how this has retroactive effect. This means that an NIE granted on June 10, 2021 will be valid until June 9, 2022. This applies to both NIEs issued with Visa and with ESTA.

ESTA USA, what to know

Net of the bans currently in place, which greatly restrict travel to the United States, applying for a visa is no longer required to plan one's trip. This option is still available, but is now joined by the U.S. ESTA, a far more functional alternative.

This is an electronic authorization, which simplifies the entire process, valid for a tourist or transit-type pass. The purpose is to simplify entry by proceeding to regular online application. Goodbye administrative offices, replaced by a digital form. The classic visa remains in case of business or study travel, while ESTA is useful for stays for tourist purposes or visits to friends and relatives. However, this digital authorization applies only to stays with a duration not exceeding 90 days. Beyond that time threshold, a visa is required.

From Italy to the US: the flights

Varied are the alternatives for those wishing to travel to the United States. For the time being, the Biden administration is restricting anyone from the previously mentioned countries, but anyone who holds a valid visa or resides in the U.S. and needs to return home will be able to choose from the following options.

Alitalia offers daily nonstop flights from Rome to New York in less than 10 hours, taking advantage of different time slots. Varied proposals regarding American Airlines, which connects Milan with New York, as well as Rome, also connecting with Chicago, Dallas and Philadelphia. All daily flights, except for Rome-JFK.

Delta Airlines proposes daily from Milan and Rome, here's where to:

• Milan-New York
• Rome-Atlanta
• Rome-Boston
• Rome-New York

Added to this is Venice-New York, the frequency of which is to be confirmed. JFK can also be reached from Milan with Emirates e Neos, while United Airlines connects Milan and Rome with Newark with daily flights.

• summer 2021