Washington, Oct 13 (IANS): The United States is planning to ease land travel restrictions for fully vaccinated visitors from Canada and Mexico in a phased approach kicking off in early November, local media reported.

From early next month, fully vaccinated visitors traveling for nonessential reasons, like visiting friends or for tourism, will be allowed to cross US land borders, according to a CNN report, Xinhua news agency reported citing senior federal administration officials.

Since Mexican and Canadian citizens with essential reasons such as attending school or trucking goods across the border were always permitted to enter, the vaccination requirement will also extend to them starting from January 2022, providing ample time for essential travelers to get vaccinated.

The new rules will end the 19-month-long land-travel restrictions first imposed by the Trump administration in March 2020.

The White House also announced last month it will no longer prohibit fully vaccinated foreign visitors from entering the country on US-bound flights from early November.