Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, travel around the world was abruptly put on hold in March. Although you will still find some new safety measures and protocols in place (also known as the “new normal”), there are signs of the world reopening. As we discussed in a recent post about travel trends as restrictions are lifted, we are seeing increased interest for U.S. and Caribbean travel. Most Caribbean islands have reopened to tourists with protocols in place to protect residents of the island as well as visitors.
We recommend checking with local tourist boards, asking your travel agent or reading up on travel policies for each island, as the situation is ever changing, and dates and protocols will likely change. All International travelers flying into the United States from a Caribbean Island (with the exception of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands) must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test 48-72 hours prior to boarding the flight to the United States. Many Airlines are denying boarding to a passenger who does not produce test results. The CDC also recommends that travelers get tested again 3 to 5 days after arrival and stay home for 7 days after travel, unless they have been fully vaccinated. Caribbean & Mexico Hotels Offering COVID Testing
Here is a list of which Caribbean Islands are open for travel
Anguilla:
Update as on November 1st not much has changed. You must still be per-approved to visit the island. Visitors must also be vaccinated and submit a negative PCR test given within 3 to 5 days of your arrival. As of May 25, 2021 Anguilla is welcoming pre-approved visitors to the island. An Anguilla Travel Authorization is required so that you can apply to visit this island. Persons without travel authorization may be refused entry to Anguilla. The Entry Application fee for all travelers staying under 90 days in a villa, hotel or private home is $300 per individual and $200 for each additional person. All visitors must complete an individual application (including children). All persons traveling to Anguilla are required to provide a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test (from a naso-pharyngeal swab) conducted within 3-5 days prior to arrival date. All visitors are required to provide proof of insurance which covers COVID-19 medical costs and full hospitalization, doctors’ visits, prescriptions and air ambulance. An electronic travel authorization certificate will be issued to your email address if your application was successful. If approved, once you arrive on the island you will have to show a hard copy of your Covid test and must undergo a mandatory COVID-19 RT-PCR test and health screening on arrival. Masks are required during transit through ports of entry (airport and seaport) and en route to your pre-approved accommodations. who have had the final dose of vaccine administered at least 21 days before arrival must submit a negative Covid-19 test result three to five days before travel, be tested upon arrival and quarantine for 7 days. Unvaccinated travelers must quarantine for 14 days and take a second test on day 14. You will also undergo regular health monitoring and once you obtain a negative RT-PCR COVID-19 test to be released from quarantine.
Unvaccinated travelers will NOT be allowed to enter the country. And Vaccinated passengers will not longer have to quarantine and the test upon arrival. A negative Covid-19 test three to five days before entry will still be required.
Antigua
Update that as of October 1st, 2021 all visitors over the age of 18 are required to be vaccinated or at least have one does of an approved vaccine. You must also submit a negative PCR test given within 4 days of your arrival. Children under the age of 5 do not need to take a COVID test to visit. Travelers also must complete the Traveler Accommodation form upon arrival in Antigua. Visitors who complete a successful screening (temperature check) by health officials are not required to quarantine once booked at a certified accommodations. For more information: www.visitantiguabarbuda.com
Aruba
Aruba is open for travelers. They have set up strict guidelines. Guests also have to undergo a five-step online screening process to visit, purchase Aruba Visitors Insurance and consent to the local government’s coronavirus mandates. All travelers will have to complete an online embarkation/disembarkation (ED) card & be approved. Visitors will also need a self-health declaration 72 hours prior to travel & provide proof of health insurance coverage upon arrival. visitors ages 15 and older need a negative molecular test result within three days of arrival.
The other option is to pay $75 for a PCR test upon arrival followed by a mandatory 24-hour quarantine while test results are obtained. All visitors must purchase an Aruba Visitors Insurance that cost on average $10 to $15 per day. Aruba has also implemented a cleaning and hygiene certification program for hotels & tourism-related businesses. National parks, beaches, and other tourist attractions will also be required to adhere to new protocols to maintain proper social distancing. As of June 9th until further notice: All establishments are required to close by 11:00pm at the latest. This is not applicable to establishments on hotel properties. Please check with your specific hotel for more information on closing times. Casinos closing time is 1:00am. Restaurants can have a maximum of 8 adults seated together inside or 10 adults seated together outside. Children under 12 do not count towards the maximum. Tables must be at least 1.5 meters apart. An alcohol ban is temporarily in effect in certain public places in Aruba. However, hotel guests can order alcoholic beverages on the beach as long as they stay on the hotel property. All nightclubs are closed until further notice.
Bahamas
As of November 1st, 2021 In order to visit the Bahamas visitors must fill out a Travel Health Visa Application and purchase COVID-19 health insurance. Note that Vaccinated travelers need a negative PCR or antigen test taken within 5 days of their arrival. Unvaccinated visitors ages 12 and older need to have a negative result from a PCR COVID-19 test within 5 days of their arrival to the islands. For more information on The Bahamas’ new requirements, visit The Bahamas Health Alert. Visitors travelling to The Bahamas from other countries who are fully vaccinated and have passed the two-week immunity period will be exempted from COVID-19 testing requirements for entry and inter-island travel. There are Bahamas Vacation Packages available
Barbados
All visitors vaccinated or not, need to have a negative PCR test result within three days of arrival to visit the island.
All incoming U.S. travelers over the age of 5 years must complete the online Immigration and Customs form 24 hours prior to arrival in Barbados. Everyone must travel with a valid negative Standard COVID-19 PCR test result.
Bermuda
Bermuda is open and welcoming visitors to the island. Complete a Travel Authorization form within 24-72 hours of departure, then present it before boarding and upon arrival. Immunised travellers WITH a valid negative, pre-arrival COVID-19 PCR test result must quarantine until they receive a negative result from their arrival COVID-19 PCR test. Following that they are no longer required to quarantine, but must test on day 4, 8 and 14. Immunised travellers WITHOUT a valid negative, pre-arrival COVID-19 PCR test result must quarantine until they receive a negative result from their day 4 COVID-19 PCR test. Following that they are no longer required to quarantine, but must test on day 8 and 14. The immunised traveller must also comply with other public health measures however, such as wearing a mask in public places, santizing their hands regularly and practicing physical distancing.
British Virgin Islands
Vaccinated Visitors must complete a BVI Gateway Application form at a cost of $35, then present it before boarding and upon arrival. Vaccinated visitors must also show a negative PCR COVID-19 test taken within 5 days before arrival. Unvaccinated guests need to obtain a BVI Gateway Traveler Authorization Certificate for $175 and must also show proof of a negative PCR COVID-19 test taken 3 to 5 days before arrival. No quarantine period required for fully vaccinated travelers and no PCR testing is required upon arrival. Partially vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers must produce result of PCR test within five days of arrival and are subjected to a PCR test or rapid antigen test upon arrival and quarantine for 7 days. All travelers must provide proof of medical insurance that includes coverage for Covid-19. Visitors must register on BVI online portal within 5 days of your planned travel date and no later than 48 hours prior to travel to obtain the Traveller Authorization Certificate ($35 for fully vaccinated travelers; $175 for unvaccinated travelers).
Cayman Islands
The Cayman island is still slowly reopening. If you are interested in visiting you can apply for entry with the Travel Cayman Portal and a 7-day quarantine and negative PCR test is required for guests who have verified that they are vaccinated. Guests will be tracked using GPS during quarantine, and plenty of other restrictions apply. The latest news is that the quarantine requirements for visitors is set to end November 20th, 2021. Please check back for more details
Curacoa
Curaçao has reopened to many parts of the world. To visit you must complete the digital immigration card online before departure and digitally fill out a Passenger Locator Card (PLC) 48 hours prior to your departure and carry a printed document of proof with you. Each visitor entering Curaçao will need to show a negative result from a certified COVID-19 PCR-test taken at most 72 hours before your flight to Curaçao or a negative result from an antigen test taken at most 24 hours before your flight to Curaçao. You will need to carry a printed document of proof with you. You will be required to upload the negative test results of the COVID-19 PCR-test. There are currently no exemptions for visitors who have been fully vaccinated. At the airport, passengers are required to wear face masks and distancing measures are in place in all public spaces on the island.
Dominican Republic
Currently, U.S. visitors can travel to the Dominican Republic and a negative COVID test is not required. Visitors will be required to fill out and submit a Traveler’s Health Affidavit upon arrival with contact information and confirm they have not felt any COVID-19 related symptoms in the last 72 hours. UnVaccinated visitors may be subject to aleatory breath tests to check for the virus. Passengers who are considered fully vaccinated or have a negative PCR test result within 72 hours of arrival are exempt from the random testing upon landing in the country.
Jamaica
Jamaica requires that visitors show a negative Covid-19 test result within 3 days of travel to enter. All travelers coming to Jamaica must have a travel authorization form within seven days of your intended travel date. Jamaica Hotels With COVID Testing Sites Hotels all have new cleaning, physical distancing, and face-mask wearing protocols that will be required. Health screening including temperature will be conducted at the airport. Masks are also required at the airport & when taking public transportation.
Grenada
Visitors must be fully vaccinated and apply for a a Pure Safe Travel Certificate online. Visitors must also purchase travel medical insurance with covers Covid-19 illnesses. Visitors over the age of 5 must show a negative PCR test within 3 days of travel. Another PCR test will be administered upon arrival, and vaccinated travelers are required to quarantine for up to 48 hours at their approved accommodation while they wait for the result. Turks & Caicos is open and requires travelers ages 16 and older to be fully vaccinated in order to visit. Travelers must apply for a TCI Travel Authorization, upload negative PCR test results within 3 days of traveling to the island, and show proof of travel insurance that covers COVID-19 medical costs and medical evacuation.
Mexico
Visitors to Mexico will find that they have little to no restrictions. You do have to fill out an Official Entry Immigration Form (FMM) and an online health questionnaire prior to your arrival but No negative Covid test is required. Mexico Vacation Packages have plenty of availability
Puerto Rico
Fully Vaccinated travelers must upload their vaccination card on a Travel Declaration Form portal before arrival. Unvaccinated travelers and vaccinated travelers on international flights need to be able to show a negative test result from a PCR molecular or antigen COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of arrival. Anyone who arrives without a test is required to take one and upload their results within 48 hours or face a $300 fine. A proof of vaccination or a negative test result taken within 72 hours is required in Puerto Rico for indoor dining as well as hotel and short-term rentals. Children under the age of 11 must keep masks on when not eating or drinking.
Beaches, golf courses and parks are open, but there are currently restrictions in place which include the necessity of showing proof of a negative COVID test (nasal or throat swab,) 72 hours prior to travel, completing a travel declaration form, wearing face mask, and social distancing. An island-wide 10 p.m to 5 a.m. curfew remains in effect until November 13. Please click on this link for a detailed PDF from the Puerto Rico Tourist Board.
St. Lucia
Visitors must apply for a Travel Authorization online before their arrival. Those ages 5 and older must also take a PCR COVID-19 test within 5 days of arrival and submit the negative test results ahead of time for review and approval. St. Lucia Hotels have to obtain a certificate from the government that shows they have met the standards for cleaning measures and enforcing social distancing. Initially, hotels would only have a set amount of rooms that can be sold.
U.S. Virgin Islands:
The U.S. Virgin Islands is open for leisure travel. Any visitor ages 5 and older needs to use the USVI Travel Screening Portal ahead of time so they can receive travel clearance for entry. All travelers age five and older are required to submit negative PCR test results taken within five days before departure. You will need to wear a mask while in a shuttle or taxi and when entering shops. Bar & restaurant capacity is limited to 50 people with social distancing enforced. Each hotel has an established protocol in place to make sure guest rooms and public areas are thoroughly cleaned. Public beaches are open.
Related posts:
When Will Cruises Resume
When Will Escorted Tours Resume
When Will Europe Travel Open Up to the U.S.
Travel Trends as Restrictions are Lifted
