My nostrils breathed a sigh of relief when on June 12 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced they’d no longer require a negative COVID-19 test for air travelers entering the United States. But how different is the travel experience today?
Well, it’s definitely less of a headache. Ever since I started flying during the pandemic in June 2020, I’ve had to get used to having my nose violated before boarding every flight to the United States. I willingly complied, since I’m a firm believer in science, prevention and taking the steps necessary to protect ourselves and others from COVID-19. But still, I sure was happy about the prospect of not having to test every time I travel abroad.
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Over the past two years, I’ve had to wait in testing lines in hotel ballrooms and converted guest rooms. I’ve scanned the streets in big Latin American cities to find a pharmacy that offers COVID-19 tests. I’ve frazzled my nerves while trying to correct test result forms that had the wrong date, or left out my birthdate or assigned me the wrong gender. Every international trip outside the United States ended the same: with an annoying testing to-do list and the potential for additional hassles. It cost lots of time and a decent amount of money to get that antigen or PCR test at the end of every trip. But now that hassle is gone.
International travel still isn’t quite back to pre-pandemic conditions, of course. During my most recent International visit — a trip to Curaçao to check out the new Sandals Royal Curacaçao resort — I was thrilled to not have to dedicate part of my final day to securing a test and awaiting COVID-19 test results. But still, as I was getting ready for my return flight to the United States, I found that the JetBlue app wouldn’t allow me to check in or get a boarding pass until I filled out an attestation form about my citizenship and vaccination status (I believe if you’re not a U.S. citizen or resident you must show proof of vaccination at the airport before you board. They didn’t ask me for proof of vaccination, however).
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The airport experience was also slightly easier. I didn’t have to interact with any humans or show any test results at all before proceeding through security and going to the gate for my flight to New York City (I must point out one thing that made my jaw drop at Curacaçao’s international airport, which serves the city of Willemstad and the whole island: they charged me $7 for a can of Mountain Dew! I’ve paid rip-off prices at airports before, but come on, this is ridiculous. I only hope that the scary price might mean one less person buys a can, so maybe we’ll have one less case of Mountain Dew teeth in the world).
If you’re really serious about planning your next international vacation or business trip, you definitely should check this out: The U.S. Department of State maintains an extensive list with links to pandemic travel restrictions around the world, which is a helpful travel planning resource. To recap what you need to know about COVID-19 test requirements and flying in and out of the United States …
Do I Need a COVID-19 Test Before International Travel?
That depends. If you are planning an international trip, you must check with the regulations of the nation you’re visiting about pandemic restrictions and COVID-19 testing. A large number of countries have lifted such requirements, but the situation is prone to change, and you don’t want to be unpleasantly surprised and unprepared if you’re visiting a place with regulations about testing before entry.
U.S. travelers to Argentina, for example, can visit without testing. But they must complete an electronic statement within 48 hours of traveling and show proof of medical insurance that includes COVID-19 treatment. Chile and Uruguay are similar in their requirements: you need to present proof of pandemic-inclusive medical insurance and sign a health declaration; if you’re not vaccinated then you must present negative test results, too.
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Do I Need a COVID-19 Vaccine Before International Travel?
Some countries focus more on testing, others on vaccines. Again, that depends on where you’re going. In order to find out which countries require a vaccination for entry, you’ve got to research.
Being vaccinated, of course, tends to make things simpler in many destinations (and it protects you better, too). In Brazil, officials require proof of vaccination; they won’t let you in otherwise unless you qualify for an exemption. Visitors arriving in Bolivia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Paraguay and Peru, meanwhile, have two options: provide proof of vaccination or else negative COVID-19 test results.
Panama, which I’m excited to say is my next international destination, requires that arriving international passengers complete a health affidavit before boarding. If you’re vaccinated, you don’t need to test.
Indeed, every country is different so it’s crucial to research before you plan an international vacation or a business trip abroad. Among the countries in Latin America with the simplest entry requirements are Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador and Mexico, none of which have any specific entry requirements related to the pandemic.
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Do I Need a COVID-19 Test Before Flying to the United States?
If you’re a U.S. citizen or resident, you no longer need to present a negative COVID-19 test result before flying back to the United States.
If you are a non-U.S. citizen who is a nonimmigrant, however (that means you’re not a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, lawful permanent resident, or traveling to the United States on an immigrant visa), you will need to show proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before you travel by air to the United States from a foreign country.
Long story short: even though many countries are opening up more and making it easier to visit without pandemic-era restrictions or requirements, many countries do still make you jump through hoops in order to arrive. So be sure to check the requirements of the country you want to visit, to assure that you follow their regulations and can gain entry. We’re moving toward a simpler travel experience, but we’re not fully there yet.
I’m a travel writer, travel blogger and Mexico travel specialist, and I love sharing travel tips to make your next vacation or business trip better. I also have a new memoir coming out this year: Prepare for Departure: Notes on a Single Mother, a Misfit Son, Inevitable Mortality and the Enduring Allure of Frequent Flyer Miles. Pre-publication sales are open and the book publishes on July 26, 2022.
Please feel free to share your comments, experiences and questions about Mexico travel and Latin America travel and vacations!
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