American tourists are making Europe summer travel plans. But many Europeans who work in the U.S. still can't visit home

As many vaccinated Americans make plans to visit Europe this summer following a full year of travel restrictions, many Europeans who live and work in the United States can't go home — if they do, they won't be allowed back into the U.S.

Yacha Toueg, who holds an H-1B visa, which is for temporary workers which special skills, hasn't seen his family in France in nearly two years, thanks to coronavirus-related travel restrictions established more than a year ago. The product manager for a Los Angeles-based tech company might not be able to go home to see his brother get married this summer. He says the situation is "becoming increasingly difficult." "I've already missed many important life moments because of travel restrictions. But traveling to Europe means having no guarantee of coming back any time soon. I would be putting my career at risk," he said. "If vaccinated Americans can travel to Europe for a vacation, I hope that vaccinated U.S. visa holders can travel home soon without having to be stuck outside the U.S. for an undetermined amount of time."