Biden vaccine mandate change leaves Florida mother stranded abroad
The president places new coronavirus vaccine requirements on foreign travelers. Amy Dobrikova, adoption mom stuck in Bulgaria, shares her story on 'Fox & Friends First.'
A Florida mother, who adopted two children in Bulgaria, is stranded after the State Department denied a visa application for her son.
Amy Dobrikova joined "Fox & Friends First" expressing her frustration over the matter, saying this isn't the "American way" as the Biden administration makes international travel for the unvaccinated more challenging.
BIDEN COUGHS INTO HAND, PROCEEDS TO SHAKE HANDS WITH PUBLIC WHILE MASKLESS
According to Dobrikova, her family has pursued religious exemptions from the vaccine mandate, and has exemption status for her children, despite her son's visa application denial.
"My husband and I arrived in Sofia, Bulgaria, to come pick up our new 10 and 12-year-old adopted children, and our agency was just informed that this new Biden policy required two doses of the Pfizer COVID vaccination with a one-month interval before a visa can be issued," she explained.
"My family has religious exemption for all of our children, and we do not want this."
FILE - Travelers wear face coverings in the line for the south security checkpoint in the main terminal of Denver International Airport on Aug. 24, 2021, in Denver. The Biden administration is detailing its new international COVID-19 air travel polices, which will include exemptions for kids and new federal contact tracing requirements. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Despite the roadblock, Dobrikova emphasized the importance of giving her children the ability to achieve the American dream.
"It's very sad. My husband is actually originally from Bulgaria and came to America for the great American opportunity, and we want to give this for these kids and right now I can't even get a visa," said Dobrikova.
"I'm a U.S. citizen. My husband's a U.S. citizen. These children are officially ours. We have a court decree. They have a passport and a birth certificate with our last name, and I can't get them in the country and this is wrong."
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The Biden administration announced new vaccine requirements on Monday, tightening restrictions for the unvaccinated who travel internationally.
The United States will require anyone who is not an American citizen to be fully vaccinated and show proof of vaccination status upon entry beginning on November 8.
"We need rapid approval of our I-601[A] granting our waiver for religious exemption and honoring this," Dobrikova pleaded.
"There was no grace period given for this policy that went into effect. They did not consider adoptive families that are in country, and I think in the future, if they're going to do policy, [they should] give a grace period so people can plan."
Fox News First
Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox.
By entering your email and clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to the Fox News Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and agree to receive content and promotional communications from Fox News. You understand that you can opt-out at any time.