Travel To The USA - Visit Partner

[londonusa]

Hi all,

I was just wondering if I could get your opinion. I live in London. My partner lives in the US (NYC). I haven't seen him since March. We usually see each other 2/3 times a month as we both travelled extensively for work. Obviously, work travel has diminished in the last few months. Would I able to travel to the USA to visit him - and/or vice versa? I don't deem it as 'essential travel', but I also don't want to not be able to see him for the rest of the year - or longer! What can I do?!

You would have no valid travel insurance so would be mad to go to the USA without it.

Actually, just seen it NYC in particular. Given the cities struggle with corona you would be insane to go without medical travel insurance unless your hugely wealthy and hundreds of thousands in medical bills is no issue.

I'm guessing YABU when the FCO advises against all but essential international travel.

Thanks guys. What do you think about vice versa?

A friend has their partner from the US visiting them at the moment. He had to do 2 weeks quarantine at her flat when he arrived so that may be an issue for you depending on how long your partner is able to stay? My friends partner is a teacher now on summer break so was always planning to be here for a couple of months.

@TheFlis12345 Thank you! I think him coming here would be easier - I live alone and he'd be able to quarantine here. Plus, I'm WFH currently and he can work remotely too.

My pleasure. One thing to warn on, they are cancelling a lot of flights at the moment (friends partner has already had 3 return flights cancelled so his return date is being pushed later and later) so it could get tricky if your partner has a fixed date they need to get back by.

@TheFlis12345 Thank you! Yes, I think he'd need to leave room for leeway/potential cancelled flights. I guess I didn't think of seeing your partner as 'essential travel'. That said, I doubt I'd see him the rest of the year in the US with the way things are going (as in if I had to fly there and see him there!)

They keep using the phrase “essential travel” but I am yet to see a definition of what that means. Friends partner said her plane was pretty busy (middle seats left empty but all others full). I can’t see what made that flight essential for hundreds of people?!

I wouldn't be flying right now. Very easy for virus to spread on an airplane. New York City cases are going down now, but it was the hardest hit area in the U. S.

TheFlis12345
Even outside of Coronavirus times the definition of essential travel has been wooly.

This is from the FCO
'Sometimes we say that only essential travel is advised. Whether travel is essential or not is your own decision. You may have urgent family or business commitments to attend to. Circumstances differ from person to person. Only you can make an informed decision based on the risks'

The FCO rightly point out individuals are responsible for their travel, not the government. Though ultimately insurers will often not cover people if they travel against FCO advice and the associated costs, financial and otherwise, are for individuals to weigh up.

You need to check your travel insurance. Which ever one of you travels should not do it without having health coverage in their insurance. It doesn't matter if you usually have health covered, travel insurance is currently invalid many places, so you need to check specifically for now.

Well if the fco advice changes and the borders are open I am going in September. We do have comprehensive insurance though that will cover us.

Unless you are a US citizen or green card holder, you cannot travel to the US right now. There is a presidential travel ban in place banning travel into the US by most Europeans (including Brits and anyone in the U.K.) due to Covid.

I am going to Canada early September