St. Thomas offers plenty of opportunities to lounge on the beach, splash in the sea, or learn a new watersport Photo Credit @visitusvi

U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS SHORTENS COVID-19 TESTING WINDOW FOR TRAVELERS

Safety First Protocols are Revised for Travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands

U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS (Jan. 2022 ) – Effective this week, domestic air travelers to the U.S. Virgin Islands are required to present a negative result from a COVID-19 test taken within three (3) days prior to travel to the Territory. The updated protocols recently announced by Governor Albert Bryan Jr. reduce the testing window, from five days to three days, to ensure that visitors and residents are protected as much as possible, given the rapid spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant.

Domestic air travelers to the USVI will be required to submit a negative antigen (rapid) or negative NAAT (e.g., RT- PCR) COVID-19 test results within three days of travel regardless of vaccination status. Travelers who were vaccinated in the USVI and considered “fully vaccinated” are no longer exempt and are required to submit an acceptable COVID-19 test result for travel. USVI Commissioner of Tourism Joseph Boschulte expressed his sincere gratitude to travelers to the U.S. Virgin Islands as they continue to express demand for the product while showing patience and understanding as the Territory seeks to find the delicate balance between protecting lives and the livelihoods of Virgin Islanders.

U.S. Virgin Islands are popular picks for family vacations, honeymoons, adventure getaways and beach holidays Photo Credit U.S. Dept Tourism

He reported that the winter season has started strong for the Territory, and this month the Travel Screening Portal had registered more than 100,000 portal submissions. International travelers to the United States must show proof of a negative result from a COVID-19 test (either antigen or PCR) taken within one calendar day of departure to the U.S. if they are arriving in the USVI via air from a foreign location, such as the British Virgin Islands or Antigua. Marine travel now follows a three-day testing window, and certain vaccination requirements apply to non-U.S. persons.

For more information about travel guidelines, visit usviupdate.com.

US Virgin Islands revise entry protocols Photo Credit USVI Dept Tourism

About the U.S. Virgin Islands
For more information about the United States Virgin Islands, go to VisitUSVI.com, follow us on Instagram (@visitusvi) and Twitter (@usvitourism), and become a fan on Facebook (www.facebook.com/VisitUSVI). When traveling to the U.S. Virgin Islands, U.S. citizens enjoy all the conveniences of domestic travel – including on-line check-in – making travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands easier than ever. As a United States Territory, travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands does not require a passport from U.S. citizens arriving from Puerto Rico or the U.S. mainland. Entry requirements for non-U.S. citizens are the same as for entering the United States from any foreign destination. Upon departure, a passport is required for all but U.S. citizens.