Travel Updates
US ENTRY REQUIREMENTS PER CDC
New Entry Requirements for Air Travel into the United States
Starting on November 8, non-citizen, non-immigrant air travelers to the United States will be required to be fully vaccinated and to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination status alongside their negative test result prior to boarding an airplane to fly to the U.S.
WHO DOES THIS AFFECT?
- Category 1: US Citizens, US Nationals, Lawful Permanent Residents, Immigrants
- Category 2: Non US-Citizens, Non-US Nations, Nonimmigrants
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW?
Category 1:
- Fully Vaccinated US Citizens, US Nationals, Lawful Permanent Residents, and Immigrants: need to produce a negative COVID-19 test result within three days of travel.
- Unvaccinated US Citizens, US Nationals, Lawful Permanent Residents, and Immigrants: will now need to produce a negative COVID-19 test result within one day of departure.
Category 2:
- Non-US-Citizens, Non-US Nations, Nonimmigrants: Need to provide proof of full vaccination status with an official document that was issued by an official source in the country where the vaccine was given and match the name and date of birth to the passenger. Also need to produce a negative COVID-19 test result within three days of travel.
WHAT QUALIFIES AS BEING FULLY VACCINATED?
You are considered fully vaccinated:
- 2 weeks (14 days) after an accepted single-dose vaccine
- 2 weeks (14 days) after your second dose of an accepted 2-dose series
- 2 weeks (14 days) after you received the full series of an active (not placebo) COVID-19 vaccine in the U.S.-based AstraZeneca or Novavax COVID-19 vaccine trials
- 2 weeks (14 days) after you received 2 doses of any “mix-and-match” combination of accepted COVID-19 vaccines administered at least 17 days apart*
Accepted COVID-19 Vaccines
- Janssen/J&J
- Pfizer-BioNTech
- Moderna
- AstraZeneca
- Covishield
- BIBP/Sinopharm
- Sinovac
How the 14 days are calculated:
Your last dose must have been given a full 14 days before the day you board your flight to the United States.
You are considered fully vaccinated on the 14th day after the vaccination series was completed. For example, if your last dose was any time on October 1st, then October 15th would be the first day that you meet the 14-day requirement.
WHAT ARE THE TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS FOR CHILDREN?
Children under 18 are excepted from the vaccination requirement for foreign national travelers, given both the ineligibility of some younger children for vaccination, as well as the global variability in access to vaccination for older children who are eligible to be vaccinated.
Children between the ages of 2 and 17 are required to take a pre-departure test.
If traveling with a fully vaccinated adult, an unvaccinated child can test three days prior to departure (consistent with the timeline for fully vaccinated adults). If an unvaccinated child is traveling alone or with unvaccinated adults, they will have to test within one day of departure.
WHY DO WE NEED YOUR DOCUMENTS?
The CDC is also issuing a Contact Tracing Order that requires all airlines flying into the United States to keep on hand – and promptly turn over to the CDC, when needed – contact information that will allow public health officials to follow up with inbound air travelers who are potentially infected or have been exposed to someone who is infected.
All air passengers to the United States will also be required to provide contact information to airlines before boarding flights to the United States. This strengthens a travel process already in place to rapidly identify and contact people in the U.S. who may have been exposed to a communicable disease, such as COVID-19. Access to travelers’ contact information will allow U.S. federal, state, and local health departments, and agencies to share appropriate health and public health information necessary to help keep the public safe.
Sources:
- https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/proof-of-vaccination.html#covid-vaccines
- https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/10/25/fact-sheet-biden-administration-releases-additional-detail-for-implementing-a-safer-more-stringent-international-air-travel-system/
- https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/noncitizens-US-air-travel.html
Last Update: November 3, 2021
THE BAHAMAS
The Government of The Bahamas has announced the entry procedures will change for those who have been vaccinated and waited two-weeks. Until this is in place and Travel.gov.bs are updated, we are urging all guests to get their PCR tests as before.
Effective May 1, 2021, international visitors traveling to The Bahamas from other countries who are fully vaccinated and have passed the two-week immunity period will be exempt from testing requirements for entry and inter-island travel.
REQUIREMENTS FOR VACCINATED TRAVELERS
Vaccinated travelers will still need to apply for the Bahamas Travel Health Visa and will be required to upload proof of vaccination with their application. They will not need to provide a negative COVID-19 PCR test prior to entry or submit to rapid testing mandates during their stay.
REQUIREMENTS FOR UNVACCINATED TRAVELERS
Travelers who are not fully vaccinated will be required to follow all existing entry testing requirements including applying for a Bahamas Travel Health Visa, providing proof of negative PCR test taken no more than five (5) days prior to arrival, as well as conducting rapid COVID-19 antigen testing if they are staying in The Bahamas for longer than four (4) nights and five (5) days.
REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL TRAVELERS
All travelers will be required to apply for the Bahamas Travel Health Visa and complete the daily health questionnaire. All residents and visitors must adhere to health and safety protocols on-island such as mask wearing, social distancing and frequent hand washing among others. Health and safety remain our highest priority and we must continue to be vigilant.
Due to the fluidity of COVID-19, the Government of The Bahamas will continue to monitor cases across the islands and loosen or tighten restrictions as needed. The Bahamas is an archipelago with more than 700 islands and cays, spread over 100,000 square miles, which means conditions and instances of the virus can be different on each of the 16 islands available to welcome visitors. Travelers should continue to check the status of their island destination before traveling, by visiting Bahamas.com/travelupdates.
Tropic Ocean Airways will continuously share updates on travel requirements for The Bahamas as they are announced. However, we recommend using the below resources for official updates on restrictions, protocols, and updates:
Contact [email protected] for any questions about current or future reservations.
We look forward to having you aboard!
Last Update: April 29, 2021
PUERTO RICO
TRAVEL GUIDELINES
Puerto Rico is enforcing local measures developed by the Puerto Rico Tourism Company (PRTC), alongside U.S. Travel Association (USTA) guidelines, such as social distancing, mandatory face coverings in public areas, and a variety of mandates for businesses – including, but not limited to, reduced capacities and high standards of cleanliness in accordance with CDC and EPA guidelines.
Travelers are required to fill out Travel Declaration Form through the Puerto Rico Health Department’s online portal, get a molecular COVID-19 test (nasal or throat swab) no more than 72 hours prior to visiting the Island, and show proof of a negative result or they must quarantine. A curfew on the Island is in effect from 9:00 PM – 5:00 AM, along with a 24-hour lockdown on Sundays, except for emergencies through January 7th.
ISLAND ARRIVAL
To further safeguard residents and visitors, all arriving passengers must comply with the following measures before arriving in Puerto Rico:
- Complete an online Travel Declaration Form from the Puerto Rico Health Department, which can be accessed at www.travelsafe.pr.gov or www.viajaseguro.pr.gov. Kiosks at the airport are also available for travelers to fill out the form upon arrival, as it is a requirement to exit the airport.
- Demonstrate a negative molecular COVID-19 test result (which consists of a nasal or throat swab), taken no more than 72 hours prior. Testing sites on the mainland U.S. can be found here. It is highly recommended to get tested prior to arriving on the Island given limited resources.
- Obtain Airport Exit Confirmation number and QR Code, which travelers will automatically receive when uploading their molecular test results to the Puerto Rico Health Department’s online portal.
AIRPORT PROCESS
- The Puerto Rico National Guard is assisting with enhanced health screenings of all arriving passengers at the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, where all passenger flights are currently being diverted. Face masks are mandatory.
- All arriving travelers will be pre-screened via thermographic cameras to monitor temperatures, and enhanced protocols will take place at baggage claim before exiting the airport.
For more information, visit:
https://www.discoverpuertorico.com/info/travel-guidelines
https://app.travelsafe.pr.gov/
Last Update: December 21, 2020
BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS
- Negative COVID-19 PCR test 5 days prior to flight
- Tests must be submitted to 24 hours prior to flight
- A completed travel certificate
Travellers must BEGIN their application no later than 48 hours before travel.
Applications on the BVI Gateway portal must be COMPLETED at least 24 hours before travel date and time.
All applicants in PENDING status, who have not completed their necessary requirements 24 hours prior to travelling, will be DENIED.
For Tech Support or Questions:
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: 284-496-6129 (messages only)
For more information, visit:
Last Update: December 21, 2020
US VIRGIN ISLANDS
TRAVEL GUIDELINES
- Negative COVID-19 test 5 days prior to flight
- Completed travel screen certificate
For more information, visit:
Last Update: December 21, 2020