Updated entry requirements for the Turks and Caicos Islands

Effective May 1st 2022, there will be new entry requirements for the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Visitors and residents will no longer be required to;

• Apply for Travel Authorisation
• Provide evidence of a negative COVID-19 test prior to arrival
• Complete a health screening questionnaire
• Present evidence of travel insurance which covers COVID-19 medical costs and full hospitalization, doctors’ visits, prescriptions and air ambulance.
• Wear masks/face coverings

Visitors are however, fully responsible for the cost of quarantine/isolation, hospitalization or medical repatriation in the event they test positive during their stay.

What does fully-vaccinated mean?

Fully-vaccinated means 14 days after receiving the second dose of any World Health Organization (WHO) approved vaccine course (or 14 days after the first dose if a single dose course such as the Janssen/Johnson & Johnson vaccine). The list of WHO approved vaccines includes the following:

• Moderna (mRNA-1273) - Spikevax
• Pfizer/BioNTech (BNT162b2) - Comirnaty
• Janssen/Johnson & Johnson (Ad26.COV2.S)
• AstraZeneca (AZD1222) - Vaxzevria
• Covishield (AstraZeneca)
• Novavax (NVX-CoV2373) (includes COVOVAX)
• Covaxin
• Sinopharm Vero Cells (BBiBP-CorV)
• Sinovac CoronaVac

You must have received your final dose of an approved vaccine course at least 14 days prior to arrival or entry will be denied.

Proof of Vaccination

Proof of vaccination is either a digital or paper record which must be presented on arrival. Acceptable forms are:

• E-certificate/digital certificate (such as those from CVS, Walgreens, or the NHS).
• Certification issued by a doctor or government entity.
• Vaccination cards/certificates accepted by national authorities.
• A letter signed by a medical professional (physician or registered nurse) on official letterhead with contact details. Doctor's registration or license number should be included with details of the first and second dose (date, country and vaccine you received).
• Authorized government entity record or printed record from an electronic vaccination database.

Exemptions to Mandatory Vaccination

The following persons are exempt from requiring a COVID-19 vaccine:

• Visitors under the age 18 years
• Visitors who are not able to take a COVID-19 vaccine due to medical reasons. However, written and signed proof from a medical professional clearly stating that they are medically exempted from taking the vaccine must be submitted to the Ministry of Health on vaccineexemptions@gov.tc. Persons seeking a medical exemption should send a request with all supporting documentation to vaccineexemptions@gov.tc at least 2 weeks prior to travel. This is in order to allow sufficient time for review by the Government. Individuals must present evidence of the approval of the medical exemption from the Ministry of Health.
• Crew members of a cargo/commercial aircraft or cargo ship arriving for work and expected to remain for less than 24 hours.
• Crew members of air ambulances, which includes any medical personnel on board.
• Persons offering to provide emergency aid in times of crisis.
• Persons who have written permission from the Chief Medical Officer

Please note that there are no exemptions to the vaccination requirement for religious reasons.

Unvaccinated returning residents

Residents who have not received both doses of the vaccine as outlined above are still required to undergo quarantine for a period of seven days on arrival. A negative test is required at the end of quarantine for release. If the test is positive, the individual must isolate in accordance with the Ministry of Health’s guidelines (https://www.gov.tc/moh/coronavirus/guidance/1581-guidance-for-persons-who-test-positive-for-covid-19).

For further information, please visit the Ministry of Health’s website https://www.gov.tc/moh/coronavirus