Which holiday destinations still require a pre-travel Covid test?

Although many short-haul and European vacation locations have now scrapped their pre-travel check necessities (a few of them dropping all Covid-related guidelines altogether), many mid- and long-haul international locations nonetheless ask you to check earlier than your journey.

There aren’t any arduous and quick guidelines from area to area – in Asia, for instance, UK travellers nonetheless can’t go to China or Japan for tourism causes, whereas South Korea is open to all vaccinated individuals. Within the Indian Ocean, Mauritius and the Maldives have scrapped their pre-travel check, whereas Madagascar’s guidelines stay fairly strict.

Listed here are the locations the place you continue to have to plan prematurely and organise the right exams to get in.

Pre-departure testing

The US

A unusually strict hangover from the early days of Omicron, the US nonetheless requires all totally vaccinated arrivals (the one kind allowed in) to take a Covid check inside the 24 hours earlier than journey. A supply inside the US tourism trade tells The Impartial they hope this might be reviewed and both eased or dropped altogether for vaccinated travellers by early June, offered there aren’t any new variants or rising instances. You possibly can take both a PCR or an antigen check earlier than journey to America, however do learn the prolonged description of what kind of check is required beneath “Check and Documentation Necessities” on the CDC’s web site earlier than you guide it.

The Caribbean

Hottest Caribbean islands – together with Antigua, St Lucia, the Dominican Republic, Cuba and Jamaica – have now dropped their check requirement. However Barbados and Saint Kitts and Nevis nonetheless require a check (a PCR inside the three days earlier than journey or an antigen inside 24 hours) of each vaccinated and unvaccinated UK arrivals. For Barbados, kids 17 and beneath can comply with the testing guidelines for vaccinated adults (whether or not or not they’re jabbed) and should not have to quarantine; for Saint Kitts, unvaccinated kids aged 12-17 years should have an PCR check taken inside 24 hours of arrival, with dad and mom obliged to stay in quarantine with the kid till a detrimental result’s obtained.

For Trinidad and Tobago, solely totally vaccinated travellers can go to and should take a PCR or an antigen check inside 72 hours earlier than their arrival time. For the Bahamas, vaccinated travellers should take a PCR or antigen check inside the three days earlier than arrival, whereas unvaccinated or partly vaccinated guests should take a PCR inside the identical window. Youngsters aged one and beneath are exempt; kids two to 11 can comply with the foundations for vaccinated guests whereas kids 12+ should comply with the foundations for his or her vaccination standing.

Morocco

Not solely should adults be totally vaccinated to go to Morocco, they have to additionally produce a detrimental PCR check outcome taken inside the 48-hour window earlier than journey. To be thought of totally vaccinated, your second dose should have been given two weeks earlier than arrival. Youngsters aged six to 17 can enter if unvaccinated, however should take the identical check; kids aged 5 and beneath are exempt from the testing and vaccine requirement. The federal government additionally warns: “Random speedy antigen exams might be carried out upon arrival for chosen teams of passengers. Further PCR exams may additionally be required after 48 hours of arrival for randomly chosen passengers.”

Israel

Israel is fairly excessive upkeep on the testing entrance: all travellers should produce a detrimental PCR check outcome, taken inside 72 hours earlier than the flight. On arrival in Israel, you could take an extra PCR check earlier than leaving the airport, at your individual expense. Additionally they require correct medical health insurance with Covid-19 cowl, in addition to an ‘entry assertion type’.

Madagascar

Madagascar doesn’t require proof of vaccination to enter, however does demand all travellers bear a PCR check inside the 72 hours earlier than departure. You should then pay to take an antigen check on arrival, at a value of £13. In case you check constructive on arrival, you could go into official lodge quarantine for seven days at your individual expense.

Rwanda

Testing is necessary both facet of your journey to Rwanda, even for those who’re vaccinated. You possibly can take a (professionally administered) speedy antigen check inside the 72 hours previous to departure time, however then should take a PCR check on arrival, and self-isolate till you obtain a detrimental outcome.

Uganda

All arrivals to Uganda by air have to take a PCR check inside the 72 hours earlier than journey, no matter vaccination standing. In the meantime passengers arriving at land borders are exempt, as are kids beneath three travelling with an grownup who has examined detrimental.

Russia

Whereas the International Workplace at the moment advises in opposition to all journey to Russia, for those who did have an important cause to go, you’d want to supply a detrimental PCR check taken inside the 48 hours earlier than your arrival. Guests should even have an “categorical check” on arrival.

Malaysia

Absolutely jabbed guests to Malaysia should present a detrimental PCR check outcome taken inside two days earlier than departure, in addition to taking a professionally-administered lateral circulate check inside 24 hours of arrival. You should additionally confirm your vaccine certificates on the mysafetravel portal earlier than your journey. Unvaccinated arrivals should take the identical check, however quarantine for 5 days on arrival.

Indonesia

Indonesia, together with Bali, is now open to completely vaccinated UK travellers, who should take a PCR check within the 48 hours earlier than departure – in addition to putting in the Peduli Lindungi cellular app and exhibiting proof of medical health insurance which covers “Covid-19 and medevac”. You should then take a second PCR check on arrival, self-isolating at your lodging till a detrimental outcome comes again (at which level you’re free to discover). Different medical health insurance and advance lodging reserving guidelines apply relying on which visa kind you’re on – test the FCO recommendation earlier than going. Unvaccinated travellers can go, however should take a second PCR check on arrival and quarantine for 5 days. In case you’re beginning in Bali, you’ll want to keep there for 4 days earlier than going elsewhere in Indonesia, no matter vaccination standing.

The principles for youngsters are barely extra complicated: per the FCO wording, “Youngsters aged 12 to 17 comply with the identical guidelines as totally or partly vaccinated travellers. Those that haven’t been vaccinated might be anticipated to supply proof of coverage that kids can’t be vaccinated of their house nation. Any little one between the ages of six and 17 who has not been beforehand vaccinated might be vaccinated after their second detrimental PCR check through the quarantine course of. Youngsters aged 5 and beneath are usually not required to be vaccinated.”

The Philippines

Solely totally vaccinated individuals are in a position to journey to the Philippines, and should take a PCR check inside the 48 hours earlier than departure or an antigen check inside the 24 hours beforehand. Youngsters aged 11 and beneath are allowed to accompany vaccinated dad and mom whereas unvaccinated, with these aged three and beneath exempt from testing. You should present your proof of vaccination, a legitimate return ticket on your journey on arrival, a passport with six months’ validity after you permit and journey insurance coverage with minimal protection of $35,000, together with Covid remedy. There’s additionally a web-based platform you could register with.

Vietnam

In addition to arranging a visa or visa waiver, arrivals of all vaccination standing should take a PCR check 72 hours, or an antigen check inside 24 hours, earlier than departure to Vietnam. Solely kids beneath two are exempt from this. In mid-March, the nation reintroduced visa waivers for residents of 13 international locations, together with the UK; and there’s additionally a requirement for minimal journey medical health insurance of USD $10,000, with Covid cowl.

South Korea

Absolutely vaccinated guests to South Korea should add their journey and call data to the Q-Code web site earlier than departure, and supply a detrimental PCR outcome from a check taken inside the 48 hours earlier than departure. Your Q-Code registration will ship you a QR Code, which you’ll present at Korean immigration as proof of vaccination. Youngsters aged 5 and beneath don’t have to have a detrimental check outcome to enter, no matter vaccination – whereas unvaccinated adults should quarantine for seven days in addition to testing.

French Polynesia

Absolutely vaccinated travellers can go to French Polynesia – house to Tahiti and Bora-Bora – however should provide a PCR check (taken inside 72 hours earlier than departure) or an antigen check (48 hours). To be thought of totally vaccinated 9 months or extra after your second dose of a vaccine, you could have had a booster jab. Unvaccinated kids aged 12-17 can accompany their vaccinated mum or dad or guardian, taking the identical exams; 11s and beneath are exempt from testing.

New Zealand

Whereas New Zealand remains to be at the moment closed to most UK guests, it opens to all visa-waiver international locations (together with the UK) at 11.59pm on 1 Might. From this time, you’ll have the ability to go to if you’re from certainly one of these international locations, are double vaccinated (aged 17 and over) and have efficiently utilized for an NZeTA visa, which may be achieved on-line. After that, the check requirement for the foreseeable is a PCR taken inside the 48 hours earlier than your flight’s departure time, or a speedy antigen or LAMP check taken inside the 24 hours earlier than. Youngsters aged 16 and beneath might be exempt from the totally vaccinated rule, however these aged two to 16 should check.

Testing on arrival

Australia

As of 18 April, totally vaccinated arrivals and kids as much as the age of 17 arriving with totally vaccinated adults not have to check earlier than journey to Australia. In most states, nevertheless, you’ll have to check after arrival – in New South Wales (house to Sydney) and Queensland, for instance, you could go straight to your lodging, take a speedy antigen check and self-isolate till you obtain a detrimental outcome. In Queensland, this rule will finish on 28 April, with no post-travel check required. In Victoria, that is advisable fairly than demanded, whereas in stricter Western Australia you have to be triple-jabbed, with a booster, and qualify for its G2G cross. You possibly can test the person guidelines for the state you’re going to right here.

Just lately scrapped pre-travel exams for vaccinated arrivals

Unvaccinated travellers can enter however want to check