The latest on travel to the Caribbean: requirements for U.S. travelers

2021-12-28

Caribbean islands have reopened to international tourism. But many islands have adopted different restrictions and requirements for vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers, and protocols can change quickly. Here are the latest developments for travel from the U.S. to each Caribbean country.

Please double-check requirements with the countries’ official websites. For more information, see our global travel map, powered by Sherpa.

A negative Covid test, taken within one day of travel, is required for all travelers, regardless of vaccination status, to enter the U.S., with the exception of U.S. territories Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Updated Dec. 27.

Anguilla

Open to fully vaccinated U.S. travelers. All visitors 18 years and older must be fully vaccinated to enter Anguilla; pregnant women are exempt. Travelers must apply no later than noon on the day before the day of arrival. The application for entry includes an arrival testing fee of $50 per person. All travelers must present proof vaccination plus a negative Covid-19 test result taken between two and five days prior to arrival. The laboratory that processes the pre-arrival test must be accredited; self-administered and antibody tests will not be accepted. Travelers are tested on arrival and are required to stay in place at their hotel, licensed villa or other rental accommodations while the test is processed, usually within 24 hours. If the test result is negative, there is no quarantine requirement and guests are free to explore the island on their own. Guests staying on island for more than eight days are tested on day four of their visit at no additional cost. More information: www.ivisitanguilla.com. Updated Oct. 26.

Antigua and Barbuda

Open to U.S. visitors. Fully vaccinated arriving passengers can submit either a negative PCR test result done four days prior to arrival or an approved rapid antigen test result done three days prior to arrival. Partially vaccinated passengers must submit a PCR test result taken within four days of arrival. Vaccinated and partially vaccinated visitors are allowed to stay at certified accommodations/yachts. All arriving passengers must complete a Health Declaration Form, which will be distributed on the plane and will be subjected to screening and temperature checks upon arrival. If a test is required, the cost is $100 and the passenger must quarantine at an approved government health facility. More information: visitantiguabarbuda.com. Updated: Nov. 19.

Aruba

Open to U.S. visitors. All travelers are required to fill out an embarkation/disembarkation card between 72 and four hours prior to travel. All visitors 15 and over must upload a negative PCR test result taken within 72 hours prior to departure. Children 14 and under are exempt from the test. Those not producing a negative test result prior to arrival must take a PCR test upon arrival and quarantine until test result received, but those 14 and under are exempt from the test. 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, which is $15 for travelers age 15 and over; no charge for children 14 and younger, More information: Aruba.com. Updated Aug. 17.

Bahamas

Effective Jan. 7, all visitors are required to show proof of a negative PCR test taken within three days of arrival (down from five days). This includes children from age 2. All visitors must apply for a Bahamas Travel Health Visa. Vaccinated visitors must show proof of vaccination. Unvaccinated travelers ages 12 and up who are staying more than four days/five nights must take a rapid antigen test on day five (children 2 and under are exempt). More information: bahamas.com. Updated Dec. 27.

Barbados

Open to U.S. visitors. All visitors must complete the Immigration and Customs from form 24 hours prior to arrival and must include the negative PCR test result taken no more than 3 days before arrival. Fully vaccinated travelers with a valid negative PCR result no longer are required to take a second PCR test upon arrival in Barbados or observe a quarantine period. Health officials at the Grantley Adams airport may select fully vaccinated travelers at random for a rapid antigen arrival test on entry (free of charge); no quarantine time is required due to short turnaround time for results. Unvaccinated travelers must quarantine for five days at a preapproved accommodation, take a PCR test on day five at one of the approved labs or testing hotels across the island at a cost to the traveler and continue to quarantine until test results are received. Unvaccinated travelers under the age of 18 are allowed to enter if accompanied by vaccinated parents/guardians; travelers under 5 are not subject to testing requirements. More information: visitbarbados.org. Updated Oct. 25.

Bermuda

Open to U.S. visitors. All travelers must complete the online Bermuda travel authorization process within one to three days of arrival (cost is $75 and covers all on-island tests) and present proof of a negative PCR test or rapid antigen taken within four days of arrival (this also applies to children 2 years and older). The antigen test must be certified by a lab, health care entity or telehealth service. Vaccinated travelers must present proof of vaccination, be tested upon arrival and on days 4 and 10 of their stay. Unvaccinated children traveling with parents are subject to the same rules. Unvaccinated travelers must be tested upon arrival, must quarantine at their own expense for 14 days at one of seven approved hotels and be retested at the end of their quarantine. More information: GoToBermuda.com. Updated Dec. 21.

Bonaire

Open to U.S. travelers. All travelers 12 and over must produce proof of a negative Covid-19 test taken within 48 hours of departure, file a health declaration form 24 hours before departure, receive a self-test upon arrival (no charge), which must be handed to the hotel/villa on day of arrival, self-quarantine for five days upon arrival and take a PCR test on day 5 (traveler pays and test must be done at a commercial testing center). For information: tourismbonaire.com. Updated: Dec. 23.

British Virgin Islands

Open to U.S. travelers. Fully vaccinated travelers must produce proof of vaccination and a negative PCR or rapid antigen test taken no later than 48 hours prior to arrival, but they do not have to register on the entry portal or test for Covid-19 upon arrival. (If the test result is older than 48 hours, whether due to delays or overnight layovers, fully vaccinated travelers are required to register on the portal and take a rapid antigen test on the day of arrival). Unvaccinated and partially vaccinated travelers must seek travel authorization via the BVI Gateway portal, test on arrival and quarantine for seven and four days, respectively. More information: bvitourism.com. Updated Nov. 24.

Cayman Islands

Open to U.S. visitors. Travelers age 5 and older must apply for travel approval, upload proof of medical insurance and submit proof of a negative PCR test result taken within 24 hours prior to arrival. Fully vaccinated travelers must also upload proof of vaccination; no quarantine is required for verified vaccinated travelers, but they are required to take three lateral-flow tests during their stay, on days 2, 5 and 10. (Lateral-flow testing is a way to test people who show no symptoms of Covid but who still may be spreading the virus; a swab is taken from the nose with results returned in minutes.) The Cayman Islands will administer these tests at numerous authorized medical locations; each test is approximately $30 and the visitor pays. Traveling with unvaccinated children or adults requires a 14-day quarantine; travelers whose vaccinations cannot be verified or are traveling from a country with less than a 60% first-dose vaccination rate (the U.S. first-dose vaccination rate stood at 68.8% on Nov. 20) must quarantine for 10 days. A negative PCR test result is required at the end of the quarantine period. Lateral flow tests do not apply to unvaccinated travelers. More information: visitcaymanislands.com. Updated: Dec. 21.

Cuba

Open to U.S. visitors. Vaccinated travelers must present passport, proof of Covid-19 inoculation and proof of medical insurance. Unvaccinated travelers must present proof of a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of arrival. Children 12 and under are exempt from vaccination and PCR test. Effective Jan. 1, all travelers must fill out a new form in advance of arrival into Cuba. Once the form is submitted, travelers will receive a QR code by email which must be shown upon arrival in Cuba. American visitors are barred from strictly tourist vacations to the all-inclusive resorts on the north coast but can travel to Cuba under 12 specific categories, the most popular of which is Support for the Cuban People. More information. Updated: Dec. 21.

Curacao

Open to U.S. visitors. All visitors from very high-risk countries (including the U.S.) must complete the digital immigration card online prior to departure, fill out the passenger locator card within 48 hours of departure, show proof and upload a negative PCR test result taken within 48 hours of departure, show proof of medical insurance and take an antigen test at a local laboratory on the third day of the stay. The appointment must be made and paid for in advance. Children 12 and under who don’t show Covid-19 symptoms and whose parents/caretakers can show proof of a negative PCR test are not required to undergo a PCR test prior to arrival or the antigen test on day 3. More information: Curacao.com. Updated: Sept. 17.

Dominica

Open to U.S. visitors. All travelers must submit a health questionnaire at least 24 hours prior to travel and upload a negative PCR test taken between 24 and 72 hours prior to arrival. Vaccinated visitors must upload a vaccination certificate, pay online for a rapid antigen test ($100; test is given on arrival) and present notification of health clearance to travel to Dominica and receipt for antigen test. If the antigen result is negative, there is no mandatory quarantine for fully vaxxed travelers who have been medically cleared. They must record temperature daily and report any symptoms, and must stay in Safe in Nature certified properties. Unvaccinated travelers will be transported to a mandatory quarantine at a government-operated facility or a Safe in Nature-certified property for five days, take a PCR test on day 5 and await results for up to 48 hours. Unvaccinated children under 18 traveling with fully vaxxed family must follow same protocols as their fully vaxxed family members. Kids five and above will be tested on day 2; those five and under do not need a PCR test. More information: GoDominica.com. Updated Aug. 16.

Dominican Republic

Open to U.S. visitors. All travelers are required to fill out a Traveler’s Health Affidavit and international embarkation/disembarkation form 72 hours before departure from the U.S., print or take screenshot of QR code, which is scanned upon arrival and departure. A temperature check will be administered on arrival and/or rapid Breathalyzer test on random travelers. If positive, the traveler quarantines in a designated area within his hotel and is regularly tested until symptoms are gone. More information: godominicanrepublic.com. Updated Sept. 23.

Grenada

Open to U.S. visitors. Fully vaccinated travelers must submit a negative PCR test result taken within 72 hours of arrival, fill out a Health Declaration Form, which must be presented upon arrival as well as original vaccination card. Children 12 and over must show proof of vaccination upon arrival. There is no quarantine required upon arrival and no PCR test at the airport. Unvaccinated travelers must complete the Health Declaration Form, book an approved accommodation, quarantine for seven days and prepay for the PCR test on day 5 ($50). Children under 12 are considered fully vaccinated when traveling with fully vaccinated parent/guardians. More information: www.puregrenada.com. Updated Nov. 24.

Guadeloupe

Open to U.S. visitors. All visitors must be fully vaccinated and must present a negative PCR test result taken 72 hours prior to arrival or an antigen test result taken 48 hours before arrival. Travelers under 12 are exempt from this requirement. All travelers must present a completed health declaration form upon arrival. There is no quarantine requirement. More information, email info@guadeloupe-islands.com. Updated: Oct. 26.

Haiti

The magnitude 7.2 earthquake on Aug. 14 may affect current entry regulations. Prior to the earthquake, the country was open to U.S. visitors who were required to produce a negative antigen or PCR test no more than 72 hours prior to arrival. American Airlines still had several flights listed from JFK to Port-au-Prince via Fort Lauderdale.

The CDC issued a Level 4 Travel Health Notice on Aug. 11, indicating a very high level of Covid-19 in the country. In addition, the U.S. State Department issued a Level 4-Do Not Travel Advisory on Aug. 2, citing kidnapping, crime, civil unrest as well as high Covid case numbers. More information: Travel.State.gov and the U.S. Embassy website. Updated Aug. 16.

Jamaica

Open to U.S. visitors. All travelers must submit the travel authorization form within seven days of arrival and must show the approval during the airline check-in process. All travelers over the age of 12 must submit proof of a negative PCR test or antigen test taken within three days of travel. Travelers staying in the Resilient Corridors along the north and south coasts of the island are free to move about the corridors and visit attractions that have been certified by the Tourist Board to be a Covid-19 Resilient Licensed tourist attraction. Fully vaccinated travelers staying outside the Resilient Corridors who meet the pre-arrival testing requirements are no longer required to quarantine on arrival. Unvaccinated travelers staying outside the Resilient Corridors still need to quarantine for 14 days. More information: visitjamaica.com. Updated: Nov. 23.

Martinique

Montserrat

Open to U.S. visitors. All visitors must be fully vaccinated, show proof of a negative PCR test taken within five days prior to entry, complete and submit the online Access Declaration Form no later than three days prior to arrival, quarantine for five days and take a PCR or rapid antigen test on day three or four. Children 5 and over must also submit a negative PCR result. Children over 2 years of age must be tested on day three or four of quarantine. Visitors can stay up to 90 days or apply for the Remote Workers Stamp (fees required) for up to a year.

All visitors have to transit through V.C. Bird Airport in Antigua and must follow Antigua and Barbuda’s entry requirements, which include a negative PCR test taken within four days of travel (this includes transiting passengers). Children below 5 years do not require the PCR test for entry into Antigua if transiting with family to Montserrat. All visitors must use the hand hygiene stations at the entrance of public buildings on Montserrat. Masks are required in public places. More information: gov.ms/covid-19 Updated Sept. 30.

Puerto Rico

Open to U.S. travelers. Effective Dec. 27, travelers arriving on domestic flights (from the U.S. mainland) must show a negative PCR test taken within 48 hours of arrival. Travelers arriving without a test must upload a PCR molecular or antigen test within 48 hours or be subject to a fine. Unvaccinated travelers also must quarantine for seven days after arrival. Travelers arriving on international flights must present proof of vaccination and a Covid-19 test taken within one day prior to arrival. The Luis Munoz Marin airport in San Juan offers PCR tests on site from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week at three test collection centers in terminals A, B and C. The cost is $110. Travelers must fill out a Travel Declaration Form through the Puerto Rico Health Department’s portal to obtain an Airport Exit Confirmation Code and a QR code. More information: www.discoverpuertorico.com. Updated Dec. 23.

Saba and St. Eustatius (Statia)

Open to U.S. visitors. Regulations for both islands require vaccinated visitors to fill out a health application form, provide results of a PCR test taken within 72 hours of arrival or a rapid antigen test done 48 hours before travel and show proof of vaccination. Unvaccinated travelers must fill out the health form, show PCR test result done 72 hours before travel, quarantine for five days and take a PCR test on day five. Day trippers from St. Maarten have to apply for entry into Saba or Statia and fill out the health form prior to arrival in those islands. For details, visit the tourism websites of Saba and Statia. Updated Aug. 4.

St. Barts

Effective Dec. 28, vaccinated visitors will need to show proof of vaccination and a negative PCR test or rapid antigen test taken within 24 hours of entry (it had been three days). Tests are required for those 11 and older. Unvaccinated travelers must self-isolate for seven days after arrival. Travelers must avoid public spaces (restaurants, bars, shops) but can walk around wearing a mask. If visitors are transiting through St. Maarten, a mandatory pre-authorized application through an Electronic Health Authorization is required. Vaccinated travelers from the U.S. do not need a Covid-19 test but must show proof of vaccination. Unvaccinated travelers over five years transiting through St. Maarten must have a Covid-19 test taken within three days of arrival in St. Marten A nasal swab is permitted for those who are five to 10 years old. More information: www.saintbarth.com. Updated Dec. 27.

St. Kitts and Nevis

Open to fully vaccinated travelers. All travelers arriving by air must complete a travel authorization form, include proof of vaccination and a negative RT-PCR test result taken within 72 hours of travel. The form must be submitted no later than 24 hours prior to travel. Travelers no longer must test on arrival or quarantine for 24 hours. All children 12 and older must be fully vaccinated to enter; those 11 and under who accompany fully vaxxed parents or guardians are exempt from vaccination. Travelers must show proof of vaccination to visit the 10 approved attractions or book tour excursions.Travelers must book at travel-approved accommodations (10) on St. Kitts and Nevis. More information: www.stkittstourism.kn/travel-advisory-update and www.nevisisland.com. Updated Dec. 21.

St. Lucia

All travelers 18 and over must submit an online travel registration. Travelers five and over must submit a negative PCR test result taken within five days of arrival. Fully vaccinated travelers must submit proof of vaccination and do not have to quarantine; they will be issued a wristband that must be worn at all times. Unvaccinated children 5 to 17 traveling with vaccinated adults must be retested upon arrival at the airport (the traveler pays the cost of the test) and they must remain in quarantine until test result received, usually within 24 to 48 hours. If negative, they are no longer required to quarantine. Unvaccinated travelers must be transferred by certified taxi to an approved Covid-19 accommodation and remain on property for 14 days or the duration of their stay except to transfer to another Covid-certified property to continue their stay or to participate in certified activities, tours and excursions (listed on stlucia.org). More information: www.stlucia.org/covid-19. Updated Nov. 22.

St. Maarten/St. Martin

Effective Jan. 1, Travelers 18 years and over must produce proof of a negative PCR test taken within 48 hours prior to arrival; vaccinated travelers may also produce a 24-hour rapid antigen test result. Travelers 18 and older who have had a booster shot can enter without a Covid-19 test; travelers 17 and under who are eligible to get a Covid-19 vaccine can enter once they are fully vaccinated. The St. Maarten SXM Protection Plan is mandatory health coverage for all visitors. The plan covers hospital costs, ICU costs, doctor consultations, Covid-19 tests and, if necessary, medical evacuation. For those 15 and up, the cost is $15 for visits up to 180 days; it is $10 for those under 15 years of age. Travelers from a high-risk country such as the U.S. will receive an automated daily email alert with a link to submit body temperature and any symptoms during first five days of their stay. More information: SintMaartenGov.org. Updated Dec. 23.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Open to U.S. travelers. All visitors must complete the pre-arrival form, show results of a negative PCR test done 72 hours before arrival and arrive with a fully paid reservation. They will be retested upon arrival. Fully vaccinated visitors must show proof of vaccination, quarantine for 48 hours and can then move to a “bubble protocol” hotel (three in Canouan, one in Bequia, one in Mustique and Petit St. Vincent Island & Resort). Unvaccinated visitors must quarantine for 14 days in a tourism-approved hotel at their own cost and be retested between day 4 and day 7 of quarantine. More information: discoversvg.com and www.gov.vc. Updated Sept. 17.

Turks and Caicos

Open to U.S. visitors. Effective Sept. 1, all visitors 16 years and over must be fully vaccinated to enter. Travelers are required to show proof of vaccination through the TCI Assured pre-travel program and portal prior to entering the country. The portal will accept vaccination proof (Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Comirnaty, Spikevax and Vaxzevria). Proof of vaccination in the form of a digital copy or paper copy, inclusive of vaccine cards issued by the CDC, will be accepted.

The vaccination requirement is in addition to the existing protocols, which require a negative Covid-19 PCR or antigen test result done within three days of travel as well as medical/travel insurance that covers medical evacuation, a completed health screening questionnaire and certification that the traveler has read and agreed to the private policy document. All these requirements must be uploaded to the portal in advance of arrival. Any traveler testing positive prior to departing Turks and Caicos must quarantine for 10 days at his own expense and undergo a Covid-19 test on day 7 prior to release. More information: Turks & Caicos tourism. Updated Aug. 20.

Trinidad and Tobago

Open to U.S. visitors. All visitors, including those 16 and over, must be fully vaccinated and each must apply for entry through the Travel Pass application, upload result of a negative PCR test taken within three days of arrival, proof of vaccination and evidence of fully paid accommodations.
More information: https://ttravelpass.gov.tt Updated Aug. 20.

U.S. Virgin Islands

Open to U.S. visitors. Every U.S. traveler 5 years and older must apply through the USVI travel portal and submit a negative Covid-19 test result taken within five days of travel. This applies to vaccinated as well as unvaccinated travelers. Upon arrival, travelers must submit the test result and travel authorization received from the portal. Travelers unable to produce the required test result are subject to a 10-day quarantine with testing until a negative result is achieved. More information: www.usvitravelportal.com Updated Aug. 18.

Courtesy of Travel Weekly