Several Caribbean islands are reopening to international tourism, with protocols in place to protect visitors and residents against Covid-19.
However, border reopenings are not uniform: Some islands are not accepting arrivals from the U.S.; others have not opened at all; others have reopened only to reverse course or scale back. Most openings are accompanied by strict new public health procedures, most of which require air travelers to produce proof of a Covid-free test result. These plans have been changing as the number of U.S. cases have remained high and test results are delayed or tough to obtain.
Here are the latest developments across the region:
• Anguilla: U.S. travelers must apply through the visitor portal, www.ivisitanguilla.com and applications are considered on a case-by-case basis. Applicants must submit a negative Covid-19 test result obtained three to five days prior to arrival as well as proof of travel insurance that covers Covid-19-related treatment. All visitors will be given a PCR test on arrival. A second test will be administered on day 14 of their visit. Visitors must stay in place until a negative result is obtained, and they are then free to explore the island. The phase two reopening, beginning Nov. 1, includes hotels and resorts along with the villa sector that reopened earlier. A revised fee schedule has been introduced to help offset the costs of managing the entry procedures and protocols. For visitors staying at a pre-approved property for five days or less, the fee is $300 per individual traveler and $500 for a couple. Families pay $300 for the main applicant and $250 per additional family member. Stays of six days to 90 days are priced at $400 per individual, $600 per couple and, for families, $400 for the main applicant and $250 per additional family member. For stays of three months to 12 months, the fees are $2,000 for individuals and from $3,000 for a family of four. The fee covers two tests per person, surveillance and costs for the additional public health presence, cost of extended immigration time/entry and a digital work permit. Updated Oct. 12.
• Antigua and Barbuda: Open to U.S. travelers. U.S. travelers must complete the Traveler Accommodation form prior to travel, submit proof of a negative PCR test taken seven days before boarding, and quarantine upon arrival for 14 days or length of stay, whichever is shorter, in a certified accommodation (at least 30 properties are certified and more are being added). All residents and visitors are required to wear masks in public places. Further information is available at www.visitantiguabarbuda.com/travel-advisory. Updated Oct. 27.
• Aruba: Aruba is open to U.S. visitors. All travelers are required to fill out an Embarkation/Disembarkation card between 72 and four hours prior to travel. Travelers residing in certain states (the list can be found at www.aruba.com/us/traveler-health-requirements) must take a PCR test within 72 hours before departure and upload the result at least 12 hours prior to their flight departure time for Aruba. All other U.S. visitors residing in states not on the list have the option of taking the PCR test at their own expense upon arrival at the airport in Aruba or can upload the negative test result from a test taken at within 72 hours at least 12 hours prior to departure. If they opt for a test upon arrival they must quarantine at their hotel until the test results are received. All visitors must purchase and pay for the Aruba Travel Insurance within 72 hours prior to departure; they can use their existing medical insurance to supplement the Aruba policy, but it cannot replace the Aruba Travel Insurance.
• Bahamas: Open to U.S. visitors. Until Oct. 31 all incoming visitors must “vacation in place” for 14 days or for the duration of their stay, whichever is shorter. All visitors must complete an electronic Bahamas Health Visa application before departure, upload the results of a negative Covid-19 PCR test taken within seven days of arrival and provide contact information. Effective Nov. 1, the Bahamas will remove the 14-day quarantine requirement. They must take a rapid test on day five of the visit. Results usually are provided within 20 minutes. The costs of the rapid tests will be included in the cost of the Bahamas Health Visa. All entry requirements can be viewed at www.bahamas.com/travelupdates.
• Barbados: Open to U.S. visitors. 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 at travel form.gov.bb, submit proof of a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of arrival. Additional health screenings upon arrival include a temperature check and brief interview. Travelers must quarantine at an approved hotel villa or guesthouse (more than 70 are on the approved list). A second PCR test is required on day two or day three after arrival with results obtained 24 hours later. Travelers are not permitted to leave their accommodations or go to the beach until they receive the negative result of the second PCR test. If the test result is negative, travelers are free to move about the island. Further information is at www.visitbarbados.org. Updated Oct. 27.
• Bermuda: Open to U.S. visitors. Travelers are required to complete the Bermuda Travel Authorization process online within 48 hours of departure. The fee is $75, which includes the cost of all Covid testing in Bermuda. Children nine and younger do not have to be tested at any point, and their Travel Authorization fee is $30. Visitors ages 10 and up must submit proof of a negative Covid test taken no more than seven days before departure. Visitors must take a Covid test upon arrival and quarantine in hotel room until results are obtained (usually six to eight hours). Tests also are required on day 4, on day 8 and on day 14 of their trip at pop-up testing centers, with immediate results. Information is at www.gotobermuda.com. Updated Oct. 27.
• Bonaire: Not currently open to U.S. visitors. From approved countries, a maximum of 1,000 visitors per week is allowed. A negative Covid test must be conducted within 72 hours of the flight’s departure for Bonaire.
• British Virgin Islands: The borders will reopen to international visitors, including U.S. visitors, Dec. 1. Tourists will be subjected to a 4-8 day period of quarantine at approved accommodation, 4 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing, medical travel insurance that includes COVID-19 coverage, subscription to a contact tracing system through their mobile phone, and in some cases using a wearable device, and bearing the costs associated with these measures.
• Cayman Islands: Not currently open to U.S. visitors. Borders plan to begin to reopen to travelers on Oct. 1. The reopening will come in phases, beginning with repatriation flights. Commercial flights are not included in the first reopening phase. When US visitors are allowed, they and all travelers must register via www.exploregov.ky/traveltime to receive pre-travel authorization. Visitors must submit proof of Covid insurance. They will be subject to a 14-day quarantine in preapproved residential and government facilities and take another PCR test at the end of the 14 days. The Cayman Islands is testing the use of a health monitoring device to monitor incoming travelers for early Covid symptoms, and it may be used when the borders reopen to US travelers. For details, visit www.exploregov.ky/coronavirus.
• Cuba: Cuba plans to reopen its borders to all visitors beginning on Nov. 1. The full list of entry requirements has not been published, although the U.S. Embassy posted that U.S. visitors will require proof of a negative Covid-19 test as one entry requirement. Currently, visitors are only permitted to go to the all-inclusive island beach resorts off the northeast coast, an hour or so east of Havana, to prevent the spread of Covid into the general population. Since U.S. rules prohibit American visitors from trips that would be strictly tourism vacations, the current rules have little to no impact on U.S. travelers.
• Curacao: Will reopen borders to U.S. travelers early in November but only to residents of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. U.S. travelers from the three states must present and upload proof of a negative PCR test within 72 hours of traveling and a Digital Immigration Card to www.dicardcuracao.com. A Passenger Locator Card must be uploaded within 48 hours of departure as well. A state-issued ID must be presented upon arrival in Curacao. A monitoring system run by the island’s public health office includes personalized phone calls to all incoming visitors during their time in Curacao. Updated Oct. 12.
• Dominica: Open to U.S. visitors. Entry requirements can be found here. Visitors must upload an online health questionnaire at least 24 hours prior to arrival; submit a negative PCR test result taken between 24 and 72 hours before arrival, and receive an email notification from Dominica of clearance to travel. Once on the ground in Dominica, visitors have a temperature check and undergo rapid test screening at no charge, with results available in 15 to 20 minutes. If test result is negative, guests go through immigration and customs and are transferred to a property that has been certified safe by the Environmental Health Department. and quarantine for five days. A PCR test ($40) will be administered on day five; if negative, the traveler is free to move about the island. All entry requirements are at http://domcovid19.dominica.gov.gm. Updated Oct. 27.
• Dominican Republic: Open to U.S. visitors. The Dominican Republic eliminated the entry requirement for proof of a negative Covid-19 test result on Sept.15. All travelers are still required to fill out a Traveler’s Health Affidavit and get a temperature check upon arrival. In place of the test result is a rapid Breathalyzer-style test that will be performed on randomly selected travelers upon arrival. The test takes five minutes and detects if a traveler was exposed or infected within the last four hours. If positive, the traveler quarantines in a designated area within his hotel and is regularly tested until symptoms are gone. The rapid test is part of the government’s initiative called The Plan for the Responsible Recovery of Tourism and includes free health and travel insurance coverage through Dec. 31 that covers hospitalization for coronavirus in the DR, telemedicine services, costs for extended hotel stays and airline ticket changes. The insurance is paid for by the DR. For details, visit godominicanrepublic.com.
• Grenada: Open to U.S. visitors. On arrival, visitors must present negative PCR test taken within seven days of travel, proof of a minimum four-day reservation from one of the Pure Safe travel accommodations of hotels and resorts, health declaration forms and waivers and download the Ronatrac mobile app for contact tracing. Visitors must quarantine at their hotel for the first four days of their visit; on day four visitors have the option to get a PCR test and, if negative, can then move about the island, or they can remain at the hotel for the duration of their stay. All forms and information are at https://covid19.gov.gd. The list of approved safe accommodations is at puregrenada.com/travel.
• Guadeloupe: The borders have not reopened to U.S. visitors. Guadeloupe reopened to travelers from France in early June and from other EU countries and elsewhere on July. All travelers must present proof of a negative Covid test taken 72 hours before departure or be tested at the airport upon arrival with results within 48 hours.
• Haiti: Open to U.S. visitors. The airports in Porte-au-Prince and Cap Haitien have reopened to scheduled flights. Airlines are distributing a health declaration form to all passengers who must complete the form, present it to immigration authorities upon arrival and then retain the form while in Haiti. Temperature screenings are mandatory upon arrival; visitors must provide local address while in Haiti; mask-wearing in public is required, and social gatherings are limited to 10 people.
• Jamaica: Open to U.S. visitors. Arriving passengers are required to complete and submit the online Travel Authorization between two and five days prior to their planned arrival in Jamaica. Once travelers are approved, they receive a certificate that must be submitted during the airline check-in process. In addition, all travelers from the U.S. must upload the results of a negative Covid-19 test, not older than 10 days before the date of travel, prior to departure. Once on the island, visitors must remain on property during their entire stay and must stay at Covid-19 Protocol Compliant Approved accommodations, which are listed on the www.visitjamaica.com website. The Jamaica Cares program, which provides travel protection and emergency services for travelers, takes effect in November. It is mandatory for every non-Jamaican passport holder and costs $40 per person, payable at the time the Travel Authorization is approved. Updated Oct. 27.
• Martinique: Borders have not reopened to U.S. travelers.
• Monserrat: Borders have not reopened to U.S. travelers.
• Puerto Rico: Open to U.S. visitors. A negative Covid test, taken 72 hours prior to arriving, is required. Travelers are required to fill out a Travel Declaration Form through the Puerto Rico Health Department’s online portal at https://travelsafe.pr.gov and obtain an Airport Exit Confirmation number and QR code, which travelers will automatically receive when uploading proof of their negative Covid result to the portal. Without the test result, arriving visitors must quarantine for 14 days at their lodging or the length of the stay, whichever is shorter, or until negative test results are provided.
• St. Barts: Open to U.S. visitors. All inbound St. Barts passengers are required to present a negative Covid-19 test taken within three days prior to arrival. Children 10 and under are exempt. Passengers will be asked to present the negative test document at check-in. For visitors staying on the island for more than seven days, a second test will be required during their stay.
• St. Kitts and Nevis: St. Kitts and Nevis: Borders reopen to U.S. travelers on Oct. 31. Visitors must complete the entry form at www.covid19.gov.kn and submit a negative PCR test with 72 hours of arrival; undergo a health screening at the airport on arrival, which includes a temperature check and a health questionnaire; and download the SKN Covid-19 contract tracing app (to be used for the first 14 days of travel). Visitors must stay in one of six approved hotels for the first seven days (on Nevis: the Four Seasons and Oualie Beach Resort; on St. Kitts: the Koi Resort by Curio Collection by Hilton; Park Hyatt St. Kitts; Royal St. Kitts Hotel, and St. Kitts Marriott Resort). They are free to move about the hotel property, interact with other guests and take part in hotel activities. On Day 7, travelers are required to take a PCR test ($100, visitor pays). If negative, travelers can book select excursions and access select destination sites booked through the hotel’s tour desk. On Day 14, travelers must take another PCR test (visitor pays). If negative, they can move freely around St. Kitts and Nevis. For more information, visit www.stkittstourism.kn/travel-advisory-updateand www.nevisisland.com. Updated Oct. 27.
• St. Lucia: Open to U.S. visitors. Travelers must provide proof of a negative Covid test done within seven days of travel and must complete a pre-arrival registration form. They must also indicate which Covid-19-certified hotel they will be staying in. All passengers will be screened at the airport. Symptomatic passengers will be tested and then quarantined at their hotel until the result is received. If positive, they will be in isolation at one of two hospitals. Mask wearing is mandatory in public spaces. Entry requirements and protocols are at www.stlucia.org/covid-19.
• St. Maarten: Open to U.S. visitors; the border between St. Maarten and St. Martin has reopened to all visitors. A completed health declaration must be uploaded at stmaartenentry.com before departing; U.S. visitors must submit proof of a negative Covid test result taken within five days of arrival.
• St. Vincent and the Grenadines: Open to U.S. visitors. Travelers from the U.S. must complete a pre-arrival form, arrive with a negative Covid-19 test done no more than seven days prior to arrival, must be retested upon arrival in St. Vincent and quarantine for five days in a Tourism Authority-approved quarantine hotel at their own expense (must arrive with proof of a fully-paid reservation), must be retested on day four and day five of quarantine and continue to quarantine for nine to 16 days or until test result is negative. Forms and a list of approved accommodations for quarantine are found here.
• Turks and Caicos: Open to U.S. visitors. International travelers will be required to obtain certification using TCI Assured, an online portal at www.turksandcaicostourism.com. The portal will require travelers to submit the following information: a negative Covid-19 PCR test result taken within five days of travel; proof of medical/travel insurance that covers medical evacuation, costs related to quarantine, ambulance care or care at a local hospital; and a completed online health screening questionnaire. Once uploaded, the documents will be verified and a TCI Assured certification issued. The TCI Assured travel authorization must be presented at time of check-in.
• U.S. Virgin Islands: U.S. Virgin Islands: Open to U.S. visitors. Every traveler 5 and older is required to use the USVI Travel Screening Portaland submit a negative Covid-19 test result received within five days of travel. Upon arrival travelers must submit the original test result and travel certification received from the portal. Travelers unable to produce the required test result are subject to a 14-day self-quarantine in their booked accommodations or until they a receive negative test result. Further information can be found at www.usviupdate.com.
