The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has placed an order this will soon affect all passengers entering the United States. You will need to provide digital or written evidence of a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than three days prior to your flight.

The airlines will refuse boarding to those who fail to comply. And if you give false test information, you face fines and imprisonment.

The new regulation comes into force on January 26th.

New negative coronavirus test requirements for travelers

The new requirement applies to all passengers 2 years and older, including US citizens and legal permanent residents. Even if you are vaccinated, you must have a negative test.

Travelers flying from US territories such as Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands are exempt from this requirement.

How do you get a coronavirus test before your flight?

Test protocols are already available in a number of popular excursion destinations.

The Costa Rica Tourism Institute works with private laboratories to offer testing across the country. In Los Cabos, the tourist board is working with the public and private sectors, as well as airport officials, to ensure access to tests. And the Aruba Tourism Board says the island has hospitals and medical facilities that offer PCR testing to outbound travelers, with an average turnaround time of 24 hours.

In addition, many top hotel brands in international destinations such as Mexico, the Caribbean, Tahiti, and Costa Rica will have testing facilities in their hotels or plan to work with local companies to conduct the testing. Be prepared for trial prices that range from free to $ 250 per person.

Some travel destinations already require some form of COVID-19 insurance or a health visa.

Aruba Visitor Insurance covers medical and non-medical expenses if you test positive for COVID-19 during your stay in Aruba, with a maximum coverage of $ 75,000. The cost is $ 30 for travelers 15 and older; $ 10 for children under 14.

Bahamas health travel visa costs start at $ 40 (free up to 10 years). The island of Jamaica charges $ 40 for $ 50,000 coverage for medical emergencies and $ 100,000 for travel to and from Jamaica.

Other types of health coverage may be required by an individual hotel, resort, or the government of your travel destination. Typically, if you tested positive and need to stay in place for an extended period of time (up to $ 500 per day), you should have appropriate medical expenses covered.

If you need a health visa, be aware that this may include a COVID test. Here are the latest Caribbean travel logs for US visitors and details on entry and exit regulations.

Many other countries around the world require foreign travelers to purchase travel health insurance in order to enter. This has become necessary due to an increase in outstanding medical bills from foreign travelers.

The Squaremouth travel insurance comparison site provides a detailed breakdown of the countries that require travel insurance and explains in detail what standards you need to meet when planning an international trip. Check out Squaremouth’s Guide to Travel Insurance for the Coronavirus Pandemic which explains what type of coverage is available.

Due to the new complexity of entry and exit regulations, you should book any international trip with a travel agent. Find an agent near you at the American Association of Travel Agencies (ASTA) or the Association of Travel Agencies (ARTA).

What if you want to cancel your travel plans?

If you already have an international ticket, what if you want to cancel? Most major airlines have announced that all fare differences will be eliminated for customers traveling through February 9, 2021. Affected customers can rebook free of charge in the same service cabin for the same start and destination. The new trip must start on or before January 25th.

Last thought

Expect this requirement to hold for at least as long as virus cases remain high. This new requirement could definitely impact your overseas travel budget with the cost of testing and compulsory travel insurance.

If you absolutely must travel, consider leaving travel within the United States. Before committing to travel plans, do some research on official government websites. Here is a brief look at the current regulations by federal state.

Here is a link to complete the pre-arrival COVID test order in the US.

Stay healthy and wear a mask!

Other travel resources from Clark.com:

[ This article was originally published on Clark.com ]

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