UPDATED: MAY 7, 2022
If you’re like my family + I and ready to travel somewhere tropical (and not Florida), flights to Turks and Caicos Islands are available (opened July 22, 2020)! Every year we like to go to the Caribbean for a summer vacation and quite frankly we wanted to start feeling normal again. Whether you’re honeymooning, babymooning, or traveling with family, I’m breaking down everything you need to know about traveling to Turks and Caicos during the pandemic.
Turks and Caicos Travel Requirements:
Effective May 1st 2022, there will be new entry requirements for the Turks and Caicos Islands.
According to the TCI Tourism Board – I’m so happy to announce that everyone traveling to Turks and Caicos will NO LONGER have to:
- Apply for Travel Authorisation
- Provide evidence of a negative COVID-19 test prior to arrival
- Complete a health screening questionnaire
- Present evidence of travel insurance which covers COVID-19 medical costs and full hospitalization, doctors’ visits, prescriptions and air ambulance.
- Wear masks/face coverings
THIS IS HUGE!
However, visitors are required to be fully vaccinated. In addition, they are fully responsible for the cost of quarantine/isolation, hospitalization or medical repatriation in the event they test positive during their stay.
Full Vaccination Required
14 days after receiving the second dose of any World Health Organization (WHO) approved vaccine course (or 14 days after the first dose if a single dose course such as the Janssen/Johnson & Johnson vaccine). The list of WHO approved vaccines includes the following:
- Moderna (mRNA-1273) – Spikevax
- Pfizer/BioNTech (BNT162b2) – Comirnaty
- Janssen/Johnson & Johnson (Ad26.COV2.S)
- AstraZeneca (AZD1222) – Vaxzevria
- Covishield (AstraZeneca)
- Novavax (NVX-CoV2373) (includes COVOVAX)
- Covaxin
- Sinopharm Vero Cells (BBiBP-CorV)
- Sinovac CoronaVac
Visitors must receive their final dose at least 14 days upon arrival or you will not be able to enter the islands.
Proof of Vaccination
Digital or paper proof of vaccination is required in order to enter Turks and Caicos. The following forms of vaccination are accepted:
- E-certificate/digital certificate (such as those from CVS, Walgreens, or the NHS).
- Certification issued by a doctor or government entity.
- Vaccination cards/certificates accepted by national authorities.
- A letter signed by a medical professional (physician or registered nurse) on official letterhead with contact details. Doctor’s registration or license number should be included with details of the first and second dose (date, country and vaccine you received).
- Authorized government entity record or printed record from an electronic vaccination database.
If you are unable to provide proof of vaccination, the Turks and Caicos tourism board has a full list of exemptions. From there, you should be all set! This is such a stress reliever to the requirement needed when traveling to Turks and Caicos before the updated on May 1, 2022!
Best Time to Travel:
While hurricane season is June to November, crowds are much smaller and hotel rates are much more affordable. August – October is my personal recommendation. The rain is sporadic and never lasts more than 20 minutes. However, restaurants and bars do close down is slow season (which happened to us when we went in October).⠀
Transportation:
While there are taxis on the island, the pricing is outrageous. I suggest renting a car. However, keep in mind they drive on the left side of the road.⠀
Safety on Islands:
Once you make it to your resort, is it safe to leave? Yes! When we went in August, we felt incredibly safe. Everyone coming in had to get tested. In addition, they have the same health inspections as the United States, but even more strict. First, masks are a must. If traveling by cab, hand sanitizer is passed around, as well as temperatures are taken. Upon arrival to your destination, the same process happens again.
If you’re looking for more information, you’ll catch the majority of my Turks and Caicos content on Instagram. For more of a visual of travel day I documented the entire day on video. In addition, check out what your trip to Turks and Caicos could look like!
Have more questions? rop them in the comments below or feel free to DM me on Instagram!
