According to Acting Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Chad Wolf, the United States borders with Canada and Mexico will remain closed through October 21.
“We continue to work with our Canadian and Mexican partners to slow the spread of #COVID19,” he wrote in a twit.
“Accordingly, we have agreed to extend the limitation of non-essential travel at our shared land ports of entry through October 21.”
The shared land borders have been closed since March 18 and extended each month since.
The border closure applies to nonessential travel, but does not apply to trade and still allows for Americans returning to the U.S. and Canadians returning to Canada.
In June, the Canadian officials eased some Canada-US border restrictions for “foreign nationals who are immediate family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents, and who do not have COVID-19 or exhibit any signs or symptoms of COVID-19.”
The rule strictly defines family members as the following:
- A spouse or common-law partner;
- A dependent child, as defined in section 2 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, or a dependent child of the person’s spouse or common-law partner;
- A dependent child, as defined in section 2 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, of a dependent child referred to in paragraph (b):
- A parent or step-parent or the parent or step-parent of the person’s spouse or common-law partner;
- A guardian or tutor.
Americans traveling to or from Alaska are also allowed to drive through Canada, but must display a “hang-tag” during their trip and can only pass through certain border crossings, according to the Canada Border Services Agency.
