Last month I celebrated my birthday in St. Lucia. I wanted to get away since I had to cancel many trips in the past year due to COVID-19. I also like to check new countries off my list, so my search began for Caribbean islands accepting American travelers. St. Lucia looked beautiful, and since I had never been, I started my research! My first thought was what are the St. Lucia travel requirements.
Know Before You Go
St. Lucia is open to travelers from the U.S. The island has the following four designations for incoming travelers. My experience is based on travel as an International Visitor.
- Returning Nationals and Residents
- International Visitors
- The Travel Bubble
- Marine Protocols
The St. Lucia travel requirements are proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test, taken within five days of travel. Also, the completion of an online pre-arrival registration form. After identifying a COVID-19 certified hotel, it’s best to start the form when your hotel and flight have been booked and no less than seven days before travel. Once available, you upload the COVID-19 PCR test results on the website to complete the application.
It’s A Manageable Process
I started my form 13 days before my trip started and received confirmation via e-mail. Three days before my trip, I received an e-mail stating that my application required additional information. The following day, I received my negative COVID-19 PCR test result and uploaded it to the website. And finally, the next morning, I received an e-mail stating that my application had been approved. This was about 24 hours before my flight to St. Lucia. The timing can feel a little tight, but it’s unavoidable because the earliest you can take the test is five days in advance, and you can wait up to three days to get the result back.
Be sure to print out the approved application and the negative results for your COVID-19 PCR test. They were requested at the airport during check-in and again before I was able to board my connecting flight. Even though you can pull it up on your phone, it’s so much easier to have the copies at hand. If you’re switching from your boarding pass on your phone and e-mails or links to documents, it can be a pain!
When I first started looking into traveling to St. Lucia, the testing requirement timing was seven days. It’s important to continue checking for any changes to the entry requirements. To complete the pre-arrival registration form and for the most up-to-date information on traveling to St. Lucia, visit https://www.stlucia.org/en/covid-19.
Landing In St. Lucia
As expected with international flights, immigration and customs forms are completed before landing. Remember to keep your copy of the lower portion of this form, where you’ve filled out your return flight information. You will have to provide it at the airport when you check in for your return flight.
Upon arrival in St. Lucia, you deplane on the tarmac and enter a building to be temperature screened and directed to an agent to check your paperwork. You must have your negative COVID-19 PCR test result, the approved pre-arrival authorization form, and completed immigration/customs form.
Then off to immigration to speak with the immigration officer and get my passport stamped. Lastly, a quick pass through customs and exit from the airport to the pre-arranged COVID-19 approved transportation for the ride to the resort.
While You Are There
Once on the island, visitors must continue wearing face masks and practicing social distancing. Travelers can only leave their resorts to visit restaurants and participate in excursions that are COVID-19 approved. The week before I left for my trip, I called the resort to set up a visit to the botanical gardens, sulfur springs, and waterfall. To my dismay, reception said that because of rising COVID-19 cases, those activities had were suspended. The only activities available were water-related, like snorkeling, sunset cruises, etc. Thankfully, after a couple of days in St. Lucia, the resort advised that island officials lifted the restrictions, and I got to schedule the activities that I wanted to do.
Requirements For Return Travel
Two days before the return flight, the resort provided a free COVID-19 Antigen test, which is required to get back into the U.S. Resort staff delivered the result to my room the day after I took the test. Overall, this was a seamless process.
It was a fun trip that was worth everything I had to do to make it happen!
Safe and Happy Travels!
Tamara