WASHINGTON — Foreign students coming from Europe are exempt from a travel ban the United States imposed because of the coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. State Department told congressional offices on Thursday. The State Department also told lawmakers that it would offer exemptions for some au pairs and family members of visa holders in the United States, according to a memo sent to lawmakers and seen by Reuters. The moves are part of a Trump administration effort to gradually reopen international travel following months of sweeping restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic. President Donald Trump banned travelers from most European countries in March as COVID-19 cases soared in the region before the disease took hold in the United States. The European Union began to allow non-essential travel from a limited number of countries last month, but such travelers from the United States, where coronavirus cases have risen rapidly in recent weeks, remain banned.

Source: International New York Times July 16, 2020 23:50 UTC