Month: October 2020

Travel Requirements for St. Kitts and Nevis Border Reopening October 31st

The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis have finally announced the rules and restrictions for all people coming to St. Kitts during the pandemic. Please see the following guide which can be found on the St. Kitts and Nevis Tourism Authority’s website.

St. Kitts & Nevis is pleased to once again welcome visitors to its shores beginning October 31, 2020. The Federation will observe a phased reopening with specific entry and travel requirements to be observed by visitors. The travel requirements outlined here are for Phase 1.

In Phase 1 of the reopening, St. Kitts and Nevis will designate visitors into three categories:

  1. Travelers from the CARICOM Member States that are part of the “Caribbean bubble”.
  2. International travelers coming from a country or territory outside the “Caribbean bubble”.
  3. Returning Nationals (Citizen and passport holder of St. Kitts and Nevis, Residents (proof of residency stamp in passport), Caribbean Single Market Economy (CSME) certificate holders and Work Permit Holders.

I. CARICOM Bubble

Travelers from within the “Caribbean bubble” include those traveling from the following 8 CARICOM member states: Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Lucia & St. Vincent and the Grenadines (the list of states is subject to change based on the level of risk determined by the amount of positive cases per 100,000 of the population within a 14-day period). Those coming from within the “Caribbean bubble” must have resided in a “Caribbean bubble” territory for at least 21 days and must meet the following requirements:

  • Complete the entry form on the national website (covid19.gov.kn) and submit a negative PCR test completed within 72-hours of travel (List of accredited labs to be provided by the Ministry of Health, at a later date).
  • Undergo a health screening at the airport which includes a temperature check and a health questionnaire.
  • Download the SKN COVID-19 contact tracing mobile app (to be used for the first 14 days of travel or less).

The traveler they will be allowed to integrate within the Federation. Travelers from the “Caribbean bubble” can stay at COVID-19 pre-approved private homes or COVID-19 certified hotel properties:

  1. Sugar Bay Club
  2. Timothy Beach Resort
  3. The Hermitage Inn
  4. Montpelier Plantation & Beach
  5. Nevis Golden Rock Inn
  6. Nisbet Plantation Beach Club
  7. Mount Nevis Hotel
  8. Paradise Beach Hotel
  9. Pinney’s Beach Hotel
  10. Hamilton Beach Villas and Spa

II. International Travelers

The second category of travelers refers to those coming from outside of the “Caribbean bubble” including the US, Canada, UK, Europe, Africa and South America. These travelers must meet the following requirements:

  • Complete the entry form on the national website (covid19.gov.kn) and submit a negative PCR test completed within 72-hours of travel from an accredited laboratory (List of accredited labs to be provided by the Ministry of Health, at a later date).
  • Undergo a health screening at the airport which includes a temperature check and a health questionnaire.
  • Download the SKN COVID-19 contact tracing mobile app (to be used for the first 14 days of travel or less).
  • 1-7 days they are free to move about the hotel property and partake in hotel activities.
  • 7 -14 days visitors will undergo a PCR-test (visitors’ cost) on day 7. If the traveler tests negative on day 7, they are allowed, through the hotel’s tour desk, to book select excursions and access select destination sites (list to be announced later).
  • 14 days or longer visitors will need to undergo a PCR-test (visitors’ cost) on day 14, and if they test negative the traveler will be allowed to integrate into the St. Kitts and Nevis.

Approved hotels for international travelers are:

  1. Koi Resort, by Curio, Hilton
  2. Park Hyatt St. Kitts
  3. St. Kitts Marriott Resort
  4. Royal St. Kitts Hotel
  5. Four Seasons Nevis
  6. Oualie Beach

III. Returning National Residents (proof of residency stamp in passport), Caribbean Single Market Economy (CSME) certificate holders and Work Permit Holders

The third category of travelers refers to those returning National Residents (proof of residency stamp in passport), Caribbean Single Market Economy (CSME) certificate holders and Work Permit Holders. These travelers must meet the following requirements:

  • Complete the entry form on the national website (covid19.gov.kn) and submit a negative PCR test completed within 72-hours of travel from an accredited laboratory (List of accredited labs to be provided by the Ministry of Health, at a later date).
  • Undergo a health screening at the airport which includes a temperature check and a health questionnaire.
  • Download the SKN COVID-19 contact tracing mobile app (to be used for the first 14 days of travel or less).

Following the airport health screening, the traveler will be allowed entry into the Federation and transported to Government approved accommodations, where they will stay at their cost for 14-days in quarantine. The cost is USD600.00 and USD 100.00 for each COVID-19 test.

The Government approved accommodations are:

  • Royal St. Kitts Hotel
  • Ocean Terrace Inn (OTI)
  • Oualie Beach
  • Potworks

Any traveler in this category who wishes to stay in one of the six (6) approved hotels for “Vacation in Place”, are required to do the following:

  • 1-7 days they are free to move about the hotel property and partake in hotel activities.
  • 7 -14 days visitors will undergo a PCR-test (visitors’ cost) on day 7. If the traveler tests negative on day 7, they are allowed, through the hotel’s tour desk, to book select excursions and access select destination sites (list to be announced later).
  • 14 days or longer visitors will need to undergo a PCR-test (visitors’ cost) on day 14, and if they test negative the traveler will be allowed to integrate into the St. Kitts and Nevis.

The CDC recently assessed the Federation’s Covid-19 risk as very low and designated it as “No Travel Notice” required, having had only 19 cases of the Coronavirus, no community spread and no deaths.

Stakeholders in every sector of the industry have been trained in our health and safety protocols, which include a comprehensive system of inspection and monitoring to encourage everyone to maintain the basic standards. Stakeholders who have participated in the training receive a certificates and business who have been inspected and meet the “Travel Approved” criteria, will receive their “Travel Approved” Seal.

Specifically, the “Travel Approved” program achieves two things:

  • It offers “Travel Approved” training for tourism stakeholders and awards the “Travel Approved” seal to those businesses which meet, both the St. Kitts Tourism Authority and Ministry of Health inspections standards.
  • It allows for St. Kitts and Nevis on their respective websites, to promote those business entities that have received the “Travel Approved” seal. Those without the seal are not approved for visitors.

Visitors will also be asked to follow basic health and safety protocols of frequent handwashing and or sanitizing, physical distancing and mask wearing. Masks are required whenever the visitor is outside of their hotel room.

St. Kitts and Nevis to Reopen Borders on October 31, 2020

St. Kitts and Nevis is pleased to once again welcome visitors to its shores beginning October 31, 2020. In order to ensure a responsible reopening of its borders, the Federation is the last Caribbean destination to do so.

“The CDC recently assessed the Federation’s Covid-19 risk as very low and designated it as “No Travel Notice” required, having had only 19 cases of the Coronavirus, no community spread and no deaths.

“We have been working diligently to prepare for this reopening to ensure that we are ready to welcome travelers by training and certifying local businesses and individuals in the health and safety protocols they are required to meet and be certified in to be permitted to operate,” said the Hon. Lindsay F.P. Grant, Minister of Tourism, Transport and Ports. “This is particularly important as we encourage visitors to explore our islands beyond their hotels to experience what makes us a unique, authentic and quintessential Caribbean experience.”

The Hon. Mark Brantley, Minister of Foreign Affairs & Aviation, added, “The genuinely friendly people of St. Kitts & Nevis are a key component of our tourism product, so the protocols we have established aim to provide for their safety in interacting with visitors as well as visitors’ safety in interacting with our people. It is critical to travelers’ perceptions of St. Kitts & Nevis as a safe and desirable destination of choice as well as to citizens and residents own safety in embracing their return.”

The twin-island Federation has received international recognition of their successful management of the first wave of the global pandemic as a result of early and aggressive testing, contact tracing and quarantine program along with an “All of Society Approach” that includes mask-wearing in public, social distancing and sanitization protocols to ensure everyone’s health and safety. Key outlets such as the BBC, Sky News and Tripoto have named St. Kitts & Nevis among the few countries in the world to have effectively “beat” the virus.

Ongoing and careful consultation with the Chief Medical Officer and Ministry of Health to fully develop and implement health and safety protocols for the entire industry was paramount to ensure the well-being of all citizens, residents and visitors. In fact, for business to reopen, tourism industry businesses, employers and employees must undergo “Travel Approved” training for their respective sector/business/department and upon completion of the training they receive the “Travel Approved” Certification and Seal. The “Travel Approved” Certification and Seal provides assurance to citizens, residents and visitors the destination is ensuring health and safety protocols are not compromised in St. Kitts & Nevis and can be trusted.

It was only then St. Kitts & Nevis decided to reopen its borders.