As the Delta variant continues to make its impact on the travel industry, Turks and Caicos become the latest destination to update its entry requirements: all visitors 16 years and older will need to be vaccinated, starting September 1. They’re not the only ones reinstating restrictions on travel; Belize reinstated its testing requirement regardless of vaccination status, Jamaica updates its curfew hours to as early as 2 pm on Sundays, and Martinique even asked travelers to leave amidst a local lockdown. Turks and Caicos’ order goes into effect on September 1, approving all visitors 16 and over to enter with “full vaccination” from either of the following doses: Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, or Johnson and Johnson/Janssen varieties.
“Fully vaccinated” is defined as having received the final dose of an approved vaccine series at least 14 days prior to arrival in Turks and Caicos. Traveling safely can still be done, provided proper health and safety guidelines are followed. If you want to travel internationally, especially via cruising, the process will be much easier if you’re vaccinated.
Proof of vaccination will be accepted in only two formats:
Turks and Caicos. Photo by Azzedine Rouichi on Unsplash
— A vaccination letter signed by a doctor, along with his/her registration or license number.
— Certificates printed or captured from an electronic vaccination database.
All those visiting the islands will still need to fulfill existing entry requirements, including supplying a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of arrival (although children under the age of 10 are exempt from this requirement). No handwritten vaccination cards will be accepted as proof of vaccination. (For example, for CVS, you can download the CVS App and retrieve an electronic record of your vaccination).
Other Entry Requirements for Turks & Caicos
Premier Sharlene Cartwright Robinson receives her second dose of Covid-19 vaccine (Office of the Premier)
All travelers must apply for entry on the TCI Assured Portal, along with proof of a negative PCR or antigen test taken and received within 72 hours before arrival to Turks and Caicos. Pre-authorization will be requested before boarding to Turks and Caicos.
Turks and Caicos first reopened for tourism in the summer of 2020, and the country has seen one of the Caribbean’s most successful reopenings, with a continued travel boom, particularly this summer.
Header image via Visit Turks & Caicos
