Charlestown, Nevis, July 15, 2021…Nevis is set to welcome increased international travellers with the reduced Vacation in Place period for fully vaccinated visitors from nine days to four days, with testing on day four and the ability to fully integrate into the island upon receipt of a negative test result. The changes which took effect on Monday, July 12, 2021, were announced by Prime Minister of St. Kitts & Nevis, Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris. Travellers to Nevis can visit the destination via Vance W Amory International Airport which is open for travel by commercial air and charters, or via the RLB International Airport in St. Kitts, with a connection to a water taxi transfer to Nevis. With Summer family travel at its peak, travel requirements for non-vaccinated children under 18 have been aligned with those of their parents:
- Non-vaccinated children under 18 traveling with fully vaccinated parents are welcome.
- Non-vaccinated children under 18 traveling with fully vaccinated parents will observe the same period of Vacation in Place as their parents.
Travel restrictions for the UK, Brazil, India and South Africa remain in place, with persons from the aforementioned destinations denied entry into Nevis at this time. Below are the travel requirements for fully vaccinated travellers:
● A traveller is considered fully vaccinated when two weeks have passed since receiving their second dose of a two-dose vaccine series (Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna or AstraZeneca/Oxford) or two weeks after they have received a single dose vaccine (Johnson + Johnson).
● Proof of vaccination is a scanned copy of the traveller’s official COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card. Upon submission of their vaccination card and completion of their travel authorization form, once verified, international travellers, will receive authorization of their vaccination card and a KN number.
●Traveller must complete the Travel Authorization Form on the national website (www.knatravelform.kn), including uploading your proof of vaccination and proof of booking at a Travel Approved hotel.
● Upon submission of a completed KNA travel form, the traveller must upload their official COVID-19 RT-PCR negative test result from a CLIA/CDC/UKAS approved lab accredited with ISO/IEC 17025 standard taken 72 hours prior to travel. There are no exceptions to the 72-hour timeframe.
● Upon submission of the copy of their official vaccination card and copy of their COVID -19 RT-PCR test negative result, the traveller’s information will be reviewed and they will receive the approval letter to enter Nevis.
● For their trip, the traveller should bring a copy of their COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card and their negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test. Please note, acceptable COVID-19 RT-PCR tests must be taken by nasopharyngeal sample. Self-samples, rapid tests, or home tests will be considered invalid.
● International travellers will undergo a health screening at the airport which includes a temperature check and a health questionnaire. Upon arrival, if a fully vaccinated traveller is exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 during the health screening, they can be required to undergo an RT- PCR test at the airport at their own cost (150 USD).
● Fully vaccinated international travellers arriving by air will be asked to Vacation in Place at a “Travel Approved” hotel for four days. Day 1 of Vacation in Place is the day after arrival.
● All fully vaccinated international travellers arriving by air are free to move throughout the “Travel Approved” hotel, interact with other guests and partake in hotel activities only.
● Fully vaccinated international travellers arriving by air and staying beyond four days are required to be tested on day four (USD 150 visitors’ cost) of their stay and once their test is negative, they may integrate into Nevis.
● Effective May 1, 2021, fully vaccinated international travellers arriving by air are not required to submit an exit RT-PCR test. If a pre-departure test is still required for the country of destination, the RT-PCR test will be taken 72 hours prior to departure. Example: If a person is staying 7 days, their pre-departure test will be on day 4; if a person is staying 14 days, their pre-departure test will be taken on day 11.
● Approved hotels for international travellers to Nevis are:
- Four Seasons
- Golden Rock Inn
- Montpelier Plantation & Beach
- Paradise Beach
International travellers who would like to stay at a private rental home or condo must stay at a property that has been pre-approved as quarantine housing at their own cost. For travel and tourism information on Nevis please visit the Nevis Tourism Authority website at www.nevisisland.com; and follow us on Instagram (@nevisnaturally), Facebook (@nevisnaturally), YouTube (nevisnaturally) and Twitter (@Nevisnaturally).
