Saint Vincent/Grenadines: Authorities update COVID-19 testing requirements for vaccinated travelers as of March 7 /update 26

Event

Officials in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines updated some COVID-19-related travel measures for fully vaccinated travelers as of March 7. Arrivals and in-transit travelers who are fully vaccinated currently have the option to present either a PCR taken within the 72 hours before arrival or a rapid antigen test taken within the 24 hours before arrival. Most other travel and domestic measures remain unchanged.

Domestic Measures
The government is not enforcing any major internal movement restrictions; however, some business restrictions remain in place. Officials continue to encourage the public to practice social distancing, and individuals must wear facemasks in public places. Most public gatherings must not consist of more than 20 persons outdoors or 10 persons indoors.

International Travel Restrictions
All incoming travelers, regardless of country of origin and including in-transit passengers, must present a negative result from an RT-PCR test taken within 72 hours before arrival. Travelers who are fully vaccinated also have the option to present a rapid antigen test taken within 24 hours before arrival instead of the PCR test. All incoming travelers must also complete a pre-arrival travel form before arriving in the country.

All travelers subject to quarantine protocols must arrive with proof of prepaid reservations at a government-approved accommodation and must transfer from the airport to their accommodation in an approved taxi or vessel. Certain travelers may be subject to on-arrival COVID-19 testing; individuals who receive a positive result from an on-arrival test are subject to additional isolation protocols.

Other entry controls vary depending on the place of origin's risk rating and whether travelers are fully vaccinated:

• Very High Risk: Unvaccinated travelers arriving from very high-risk locations may be retested for COVID-19 upon arrival, must complete a quarantine period of 14 days and must be retested between days 10 and 14 of the quarantine period. Venezuela, Brazil, Ecuador, South Africa, Suriname, Colombia, Belize, Mexico, India, Guyana, Panama, Argentina, and Peru are among the countries considered very high risk.

• High Risk: Unvaccinated travelers arriving from high-risk locations must complete a 10-day quarantine period. They must also be retested for COVID-19 between days seven and 10 of the isolation period. Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Bermuda, Antigua and Barbuda, British Virgin Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, the US, including the US Virgin Islands, China, the UK, Germany, Saint Lucia, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Cuba, Nigeria, Indonesia, the Philippines, Italy, Bahamas, Canada, Turks and Caicos Islands, France and its overseas regions, Spain, and Russia are considered high-risk countries.

• Medium Risk: Unvaccinated travelers may be asked to take a COVID-19 test upon arrival. Unvaccinated travelers from medium-risk locations must complete a five-day quarantine period and be tested for COVID-19 on day three of isolation. Saint Kitts and Nevis and Taiwan are considered medium-risk locations.

• Low Risk: Unvaccinated travelers must take a COVID-19 test and quarantine for three days upon arrival. Anguilla and Montserrat are considered low risk.

• In-transit Passengers: Transiting overnight travelers in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines must stay at a government-approved hotel. Otherwise, they must remain inside Argyle International Airport (SVD).

• Fully vaccinated travelers from very high-, high-, medium-, and low-risk countries and territories are not required to be tested for COVID-19 upon arrival or undergo quarantine unless port authorities determine otherwise. For more details on travel requirements for vaccinated travelers, click here.

All yachts must seek entry approval before proceeding to a designated area for on-vessel quarantine. Yacht passengers must have a negative result from an RT-PCR test taken no more than 72 hours before departure from the port of origin. The results and a pre-arrival travel form must be submitted to port officials at least 24 hours before arrival. Most quarantine requirements are the same as those applied to air travelers.

Authorities could amend any domestic restrictions, international travel protocols, or country risk classifications with little-to-no notice depending on disease activity over the coming weeks.

Advice

Follow all official instructions. Abide by national health and safety measures. Reconfirm all travel arrangements.

Resources

World Health Organization (WHO)
Ministry of Health COVID-19 Protocols
Pre-Arrival Travel Form