The United States plan to allow vaccinated foreign visitors to enter the country, a White House official has said.
It is a welcome boost for Irish people hoping to be allowed back into the US for holidays.
America shut its borders to most foreign travellers as the Covid-19 pandemic took hold.
The official said that Washington is developing "a phased approach that over time will mean, with limited exceptions, that foreign nationals travelling to the United States - from all countries - need to be fully vaccinated" but didn't specify a timeline.
The official added to CBS News: "The interagency working groups are working to develop a plan for a consistent and safe international travel policy, in order to have a new system ready for when we can reopen travel.
"Currently, the interagency working groups are developing a policy and planning process to be prepared for when the time is right to transition to this new system."
It isn't clear yet when the vaccination requirement for foreign nationals will start, or what exemptions may apply.
Ireland, the EU and UK have eased travel restrictions on America but that favour hasn't been returned yet.
The current travel restrictions were introduced to America in March 2020 and have heavily impacted Irish people who live and work in the US.
At the start of August, the US Centre for Disease Control advised that travel to Ireland should be avoided.
It said earlier this week that "because of the current situation in Ireland, even fully vaccinated travellers may be at risk for getting and spreading Covid-19 variants".
Also, the White House said on Wednesday it is prepared to provide COVID-19 booster shots, if needed, suggesting it would not heed a call by the World Health Organisation to delay providing additional vaccinations.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday that high-income countries like the United States should hold off on giving more doses until more poor countries are able to inoculate their own populations.
But White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that was a "false choice" and Washington can both provide booster shots, if they are approved for use in the country, and donate excess supplies to other countries.
