ARUBA PIONEERS HIGH-TECH COVID-19 ENTRY PROCESS
Aruba Debuts Fast Track Clearance for Travelers
Oranjestad: Dec. 2021 – A leader in travel technology innovation, Aruba announces a new service that eliminates the wait for PCR test results and the need to upload test certificates. In partnership with OK2Roam, travellers can now authorize an approved laboratory to send their negative test results directly to Aruba’s Embarkation-Disembarkation card entry platform and be confident that it will be instantly accepted. As part of the entry process to Aruba, ED card registration is mandatory for all travellers, including minors and infants. Proof of a negative PCR test, within 72 hours prior to entering the country, is also required of all travellers over the age of 11, including those already vaccinated. The new service is being provided by VFS Global, which has built an international network of government-approved COVID-19 testing laboratories, and OK2Roam, which is providing a secure data connection between the lab network and Aruba’s online ED entry platform. Initially, it will be available in Canada and the US, from Stage Zero Life Sciences and from Same Day Health. Travellers will have the choice of taking a video-supervised saliva test in the comfort of their own home or going to a test centre in more than 50 locations across the US.
Currently, the biggest challenge for many departments of health and border-security forces – as they are responsible for physically inspecting PCR tests prior to granting access – is that they must manage the trade-off between a rigorous review and swift response time for travellers. However, with this new approach, with travellers’ consent, PCR test results can be fed directly from a trusted laboratory to the Aruban Immigration Authority, via OK2Roam’s secure technical platform. Danguillaume Oduber, Aruba’s Minister of Tourism and Public Health, said: “Throughout the pandemic, and even before, Aruba has been keen to embrace the latest technology to make our destination more welcoming and people’s travel experience more seamless. This excellent idea, which we are delighted to pioneer with OK2Roam and VFS Global, also has the advantage that it will likely save us time, money and administrative complexity too.” Chris Dix, Head of Business Development, VFS Global, said: “We are eager to see our project with OK2Roam and Aruba succeed. Once it is successfully launched and delivers the projected benefits, we are confident of being able to help many of our client governments make their borders more efficient and more bio-secure.” David Tarsh, CEO & Co-Founder, OK2Roam concluded: “Recent research from IATA* validates our approach: passengers loath queuing; and 73% of them would willingly share their biometric data to receive a better travel experience. With Aruba, we are taking the world one step closer to the World Travel & Tourism Council’s vision of a seamless traveller journey, enabled by the latest technology.”
VFS Global is the world’s largest visa outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions worldwide. It is trusted by 63 governments, including Australia, Canada, China, India, Korea, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, UAE, UK, and most EU and Schengen member states. Early in the pandemic, VFS Global acted swiftly to build a global network of government-approved testing laboratories, in order to provide a comprehensive service for those of its customers who needed to travel during the pandemic. Currently, VFS Global’s lab network covers multiple collection points in 271 cities, 46 countries and growing. Details of the service are provided on Aruba’s official visitor website, www.Aruba.com; and travellers can book their test by visiting www.VFSGlobal.com/Aruba. The new service is not limited to any particular airline or airport. All travellers can use it, provided they can test with a participating lab.
About VFS Global
VFS Global is the world’s largest outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions worldwide. With more than 3,500 Application Centres, operations in 143 countries across five continents and over 234 million applications processed (since inception in 2001) as on 31 October 2021, VFS Global is the trusted partner of 63 client governments. The company manages non-judgmental and administrative tasks related to applications or visa, passport and consular services for its client governments, enabling them to focus entirely on the critical task of assessment.
About OK2Roam
OK2Roam is on a mission to revive travel by developing IT solutions that improve biosecurity, reduce hassle and ensure compliance with complex pandemic regulations. It has two main offerings – Verified Clear and Pandemic Management. Verified Clear involves feeding a traveller’s negative COVID-19 test result directly from an approved laboratory to a government, travel provider or event organiser so that there’s no need to wait in line for a certificate to be checked. Pandemic Management is a system to enable the creation and management of reduced risk bubbles, where social distancing is not necessary. For more information, please visit www.OK2Roam.com.
About Aruba
As one of the most revisited Caribbean destinations, Aruba – One happy island – offers breathtaking beaches, diverse culinary delights, a sprawling and unforgettable Arikok National Park, and award-winning hotels and villas. A leader in innovation, the country was awarded a top spot on Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2020 list due to their ambitious sustainability efforts. In today’s ever-changing world, Aruba’s ‘Health and Happiness Code’ safety protocols provide peace of mind, while still delivering a relaxing on-island experience. Located outside the hurricane belt, explore all Aruba has to offer, from romantic beach getaways, unique wellness experiences and more, on Aruba.com.
Entry Requirements: https://www.aruba.com/us/traveler-health-requirements
