New COVID-19 Travel Restrictions Don’t Apply to USVI

Yes, we’re still America. That’s the message from U.S. Virgin Islands Commissioner of Tourism Joseph Boschulte to travelers worried about the new COVID-19 restrictions put in place by the CDC last week. Travel to St. Croix, St. John, St. Thomas or Water Island requires a negative COVID-19 prior to travel, but not for return back to the mainland United States.

“The new requirements do not apply to persons traveling or returning directly from the U.S. Virgin Islands to the U.S. mainland,” he said. However, passengers traveling by air from St. Maarten or the British Virgin Islands, for example, are subject to the CDC’s three-day testing requirement “because they are coming from a foreign country and their first point of entry into the United States is either St. Thomas or St. Croix.” 

“But if you are leaving St. Thomas or St. Croix and you are heading to or returning to the U.S. mainland, the U.S. Virgin Islands does not require passengers to test,” said the Commissioner, who reiterated that the USVI’s testing requirements are for domestic travel to the islands.

All visitors five years of age or older must use the Travel Screening Portal to submit the mandatory COVID-19 test result prior to traveling to any USVI territory. Travelers are required to provide evidence of a negative a COVID-19 molecular or antigen test result taken within five days of commencement of travel to the Territory or a positive antibody result received within four months of commencement of travel to the Territory.

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“Due to COVID-19, there are more travel protocols and restrictions in place now than ever before, and we realize that travelers may be overwhelmed and confused by the different requirements established by local, state or national authorities,” said Boschulte. 

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