After more than two years of countless updates to its entry requirements and travel warnings, Jamaica is fully reopening to all travelers without restrictions.
Set to come into effect on Friday, April 15, 2022, Jamaica has decided to lift its pre-departure Covid test requirements for travelers. The pre-departure test was the last remaining Covid-related entry requirement in place for international arrivals to Jamaica.
As a result, the Caribbean island nation will be the latest country to lift all of its Covid health-related entry restrictions for international tourists.
Pre-Departure Testing Requirement Scrapped
Jamaica’s current travel restrictions state that all visitors, regardless of vaccination status, must show a negative Covid test result (antigen or PCR) no later than 3 days from travel prior to boarding their flight. This requirement will be dropped for all travelers from tomorrow, April 15th, regardless of vaccination status.
Entry Restrictions For Jamaica: Update For Travelers
As of April 15, all tourists can enter Jamaica with:
- No pre-flight testing requirement
- No on arrival or post-arrival testing for Jamaica
- No proof of vaccination is required for entry
- No quarantines
- No countries banned due to case numbers or variants
Jamaica’s Indoor Mask Mandate Also Being Dropped April 15th
Internal health restrictions are also being dropped throughout the Caribbean island nation. On the same day that the pre-departure testing requirement will be removed, Jamaica’s ongoing mask mandate for public indoor spaces will also be dropped for tourists and locals alike.
The current measures were put in place on March 18 under an official Public Health Enforcement Measures Covid-19 Order, which included the pre-flight testing and face mask requirement. The other measures included in the Order will remain in place for the time being, according to local reports. They are:
- All persons who test positive for Covid while in Jamaica (local or tourist) must self-isolate at their accommodation until they’ve recovered.
- Giving the protection of identity for persons who might test positive for Covid.
- Owners and operators of businesses (hotels, restaurants, tour agencies), places of worship, educational institutions, etc, are required to ensure the health of all patrons by making sure hand washing/hand sanitizing stations are available upon entry.
Officials want to remind everyone that while the reported Covid case numbers in Jamaica are low at this time, the issue of new variants and the potential for case numbers to increase continues to be a reality.
Jamaica Began Easing Travel Restrictions In March 2022
Following the omicron wave and a peak in cases, Jamaica began relaxing some of its entry restrictions for travelers just last month.
From March 1st, the restrictions that were eased included the travel authorization form required to be filled out before departure to Jamaica as well as any quarantine requirements. The maximum attendance for large events was also raised from 50 to 100 persons.
Visa-Free Entry For Travelers Around The World
Jamaica is a well-known and beloved vacation spot with US and Canadian tourists any time of year.
On top of travel restrictions being scrapped, visitors from over 100 countries including the US, Canada, and the UK can enter Jamaica visa-free. New flight routes from the US to popular tourist destinations in Jamaica have also been added this year, making travel to the island much more accessible.
CDC Lowers Advisory For Jamaica
Just this week, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lowered their health risk advisory for Jamaica and the Dominican Republic. Jamaica was moved down to a Level 1: Low-Risk category due to a very low daily case average of 26 reported cases.
The US State Department lowered its risk warning for Jamaica last month, putting the island nation at a Level 3: Reconsider Travel status.
