TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands BVI Entry current process - 9/25

I can't find the thread last from last week where we were discussing BVI entry testing so I'm going to post a summary of my very positive experience over the last 7 days.

I travelled on Saturday, 9/25 from OH to San Juan on Delta then connected to a non-code share flight to to Beef Island.

- Since my travel day was Saturday (Day 0), Day 5 for me was Monday, 9/20. I took an online proctored home test from eMed.com in OH at 4:30pm. The test was easy and had results in less than 20 minutes from starting the video call.

- Started the BVI Gateway process at 4:45 and it took me 10 minutes to completely fill out as a vaccinated resident. Need to upload 4 items; Work permit card, front of vaccination card, back of vaccination card, and negative test result from eMed.com

- On Tuesday at 12:37pm, I received my travel authorization from the BVI. Less than a 20 hour turn around with no need for outside help!

- On Friday, I went to Fedex Office and printed, Cape Air Itinerary, BVI Gateway approval, and Test results.

- Saturday after arriving in PR, I exited the terminal grabbed my checked bag, and proceeded to the first National Guard line I saw. I told them I was connecting to another flight and they directed me to another National Guard line near the elevator. If you're doing this, the elevator is past the baggage claim 1 area. I showed the guard my connecting flight confirmation on Cape Air and they let me skip the line to exit the airport and go right up the elevator.

- Proceed to Cape Air desk, present passport and BVI Gateway authorization (1st check). Only paid to check the bigger bag and carried laptop bag and carry-on sized roller bag back to security and the Cape Air flight. Cape Air treated my roll aboard bag as a carry-on with no charge. The agent did let me know I could go directly to the gate from my Delta flight if I didn't need to pickup anything in baggage. Next time I will just ship the stuff I bought in the US.

- Back thru security. Only need normal ID and boarding pass

- Stop at the wine bar for lunch and filled out the BVI HSA testing portal so I'm ready when I land. I used airport.bvi.care since I was flying but there are others based on your arrival port. This is a step not talked about very often but helpful to do in advance. The end result is a QR Code that is used when you arrive

These are the steps to get ready and fly to the BVI. Will post the airport arrival steps in the 1st comment.

Below are the actual arrival steps for the airport. Ferry terminal should be similar but I have no direct experience there.

- After landing, a Cape Air representative escorted the 4 passengers to new Welcome Center building that was built to the right of the airport building

- Hand sanitize outside the door and enter the welcome center for an automated temperature scan

- Everyone is asked if they have filled out the testing portal (not the BVI Gateway). If you have filled it out in advance, you present your vaccination card and QR Code from the testing portal to a booth just to the right of the entry door. This only take a minute and you are given a numbered card. If you haven’t filled it out, someone helps you connect to the free wifi and fill out the form; it only takes about 5 minutes.

- I was first in line so I went directly to the test room and nurse recorded the number on my card to correlate the test results. She did a quick swab that wasn’t any worse than the home test I did myself.

- The nurse sends you back out to the main room to wait for the results. While waiting, I filled out the immigration/customs card.

- About 15 minutes later, someone called out the numbers of 3 people whose results were ready and escorted us to the normal immigration area in the terminal and takes our numbered card

- Immigration officer asked for the BVI Gateway approval (2nd check), reviewed passport, and immigration card.

- Grabbed bag from “baggage claim” and proceed to customs officer. Quick review of customs information and it’s my lucky day; $0 due on my purchases

- Exit customs and out to the taxi area. I had already arranged a taxi but the dispatcher needs to see my BVI Gateway approval (3rd check). Not sure why, but ok.

- Exit the building and turn left to a small table. They need to know my name, check me off a list and I’m good to go. (I think this is for the tracking devices but since I don’t need to quarantine, it’s not required).

Total time from landing to taxi was about 45 minutes.

Important to note:
- No review of the test results. Once they are approved in the Gateway, that’s it.
- The antigen test at the airport was quick and easy. Results emailed
- Filling out the HSA Testing portal may put in you in front of others on your flight. Recommend doing it in advance.

Jason, is this the portal we need to fill out if coming via ferry? https://rtferry.bvi.care/

yes, that's it.

Jason, If you only have carry on bags how much time should you allow between flights at SJU? Looking at a 2:40 SJU arrival and the 4:05 departure to EIS. Is that enough time? I am used to going through SJU on the way home, not the way there.

Awesome Jason. Thank you very much.

I would like to thank Jason for all the work he puts in to help all of us on here. We are good friends but he has helped anyone who asks even sometimes dumb questions ( like me!) I look forward to sharing some cold ones with him and Tiffany next week.

That’s more than enough time. Just make sure you don’t exit the secure area when changing gates. You will have time to grab something to eat if on time.
G

Thank you Jason!

Plenty of time. Who are you flying? It you're on Silver, it super easy and you'll have even more time because the gate is in B concourse right next to Air Margaritaville and across from the wine bar. Even if it's Cape Air or InterCaribbean, the walk is only an extra 12-15 minutes.

As an aside, for anyone going thru SJU that is sick of chain restaurant food, stop by the wine bar. La Vendimia is at the very beginning of B concourse. Great wines, some fairly authentic Puerto Rican food options, and great service at the bar. Not cheap but nothing is cheap in airports. I used to stop there every week for 2 years and the bartenders remembered me and what I drink after 22 months of not traveling!

My pleasure, Malcom! Looking forward to that cold one (or 4)....

Thank you Jason for being a wealth of information and willing to go above and beyond! I'm super curious as to how the process changes once you no longer have to apply through the portal. Anyone going down after October 1st, please report and let us all know.

Thanks Jason. You're a wealth of knowledge!

Thanks Jason! I was looking at Cape Air. Is Silver more reliable than it was months ago? I would consider them. Just starting to look at all options now that I have some dates in mind.
So hard to find flights on either Cape Air or Silver out of EIS when I want to go. I can get there easier than I can get home LOL....now that is a switch!

I think you'll be fine on either one now that traffic is picking up. I'd probably still shy away from InterCaribbean for a while (and I was a big fan due to their pricing) and see how they perform in Jan/February.

Uh oh. I'm booked on InterCaribbean in November.

We were booked with Intercaribbean in May 2021. Both flights were canceled. I did reach out to them 2 months in advance and they informed me the flights were canceled. I rearranged my travel thru STT. I was able to get a refund, but it took a while since the flight was originally booked in 2019 for a 2020 trip.

Most likely, they will just push you to the last flight of the day if your flight does not have enough people on it.

I am on the 4:55pm (11/12) flight out of SJU and then the 11:10am (11/21) flight from Tortola. So should be good for both? If they don't do the 4:55 flight I have no other options. Mostly hoping if it does get cancelled I get plenty of notice.

Jason, As I understood it if you are fully vaccinated you don't have to do the BVI Entry Portal, is that correct?

The Premier announced that effective October 1, the Gateway would not be required for vaccinated travelers. However, he announced it on a radio program, he left for Miami today, and there has been no announcement from the government or legal documents Gazetted.

I mentioned it to the Cape Air ticket counter agent on Saturday and he had not heard anything about it and they are the people who would be responsible for checking vaccination status instead of Gateway approvals.

Draw your own conclusions.

I just received an email from one of the charter companies I have used in the past.

https://www.bvitourism.com/reopening

That's very promising! Would love to see a Govt. announcement but that's damn close.

We are relying on this being correct!!

When does the ferry portal need to be filled out?

Chris..check the websites for each company to see which days they are sailing and then you should be able to book...

I may be wrong, but it looks like it’s just a general portal for the Road Town terminal.

which portal are you referring to?

This one:

https://rtferry.bvi.care/

I believe that’s just a registration for your arrival test. It’s not really a portal and no approval is required.
G

Correct, that is registration for your arrival test.

When I traveled last weekend, I completed the testing portal before my last flight. I don't know how long the generated QR code is valid. When I went thru the testing center I did hear some people having trouble scanning the QR code and the gentlemen scanning the codes indicated the codes were too old.

I'd do it day of travel if possible.