TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands FYI for those travelling

Maybe this has been discussed (and I apologize if so) but if flying from EIS to SJU under current rules is it still PCR within 72 hours?

Trying to figure best extraction method for December land trip...maybe i can sail back with Zanshin as he still might be there then?

I really hope by December we're back to more normal travel procedures. We're thinking of a trip for the holidays given that we aren't making the BVI this trip.

i hope so too my friend if for no other reason than the great friends we all have down there that count on tourism to eat...

To travel to SJU, a PCR or Antigen test within 72 hours is acceptable.

Interesting article here: https://bvinews.com/bvis-main-hospital-the-only-authorised-covid-testing-facility/

Are they implying that the private labs doing testing aren't delivering valid results? Or are the private facilities just taking samples and then expediting them through Peebles?

I do think the hospital has the only equipment for processing PCR tests.

Apparently our Abbott eMed test kits were a waste of money, unless something changes. All of our adults are vaccinated and have 'positive' antibodies test results, it is the three young kids. It makes no sense to make mom's take their kids into the general population to obtain tests. It seems counter to the mitigation they are attempting to achieve. Anyway, I guess we will 'scurry around' our last 48 hours in BVI attempting to obtain PCR test results and get them into the portal for returning to St. Thomas. Ugh!

Does anyone know of a COVID testing site in Tortola that does pre-departure tests on Sundays?

Check on these but I think almost all currently do.

Are you testing to go through STT or leave from EIS and go through PR? I just did the trip back last Saturday from EIS to SJU to IAH. We had a group of 12 including 3 kids. The emed tests worked for all of us without any issue.

Just curious, did you fill out the PR Portal or just show your test results to the ticket counter at EIS? Did anyone from PR ask to see the results?

Jsaon, I don't think you need to do anything with the PR portal if you aren't leaving the airport. I'm not sure how connecting flights work because I do recall in the past you had to get your bags? But we did leave the airport and that was when they check the QR code we got from the portal.

As far as testing, going to the US, the Ellume home test is another that is accepted for entry. We ended up using that for the PR portal and it worked fine there too.

Agreed, you SHOULD not need the portal if you are in-transit. I always like to ask because some of the airlines at EIS have been requiring it to check in even though it's not required. Had several guests get surprised by this and have to navigate the portal on their phones while trying to check in at EIS.

My real question is whether anyone in PR asked to see the test results. I thought maybe immigration or customs might ask. Just want to be prepared.

I only had to show the negative test result at the Cape Air counter in EIS. Nobody asked another question for the remainder of the trip.

Just for clarification of how the entire entry/exit worked for us. Going to EIS: We flew from IAH on a 2:30p fight and landed in SJU at 8:30. We collected our bags and proceeded to stay the night at the SJU Airport Hotel. This is when the PR Portal QR code came into play. Before we could exit the airport, there were two officials asking to see the QR codes. They did a quick scan of the QR with a handheld device and off we went. Fairly decent hotel for a one night stay and extremely convenient for the next morning as there are no taxis required. Be prepared that no food was available at the airport at that hour. We had to use Uber Eats to get some McDonald's (haven't eaten it in 20 yrs and it was just as bad as I remembered). The next morning we woke up and headed to the Cape Air ticket counter. This is where the BVI Portal letters were needed. There was no getting past this gate without them. Once we were checked in we proceeded through security which was painless.....got on the Cape Air flight and off we went to BVI. Once we arrived at EIS, the Cape Air representative walked us to the other end of EIS Airport into a nice A/C building. There we had to connect to their wifi and fill in a USA website that was collecting the results of the test we were about to take. Once we were in the system (instantly) we were called back to another room a couple at a time to take our arrival tests. We were all given the BINAX NOW test except the children which had a throat swab PCR test. We were directed to a waiting area and about 15 min later someone came out in a HAZMAT Space Suit and said we were all clear to go. The Cape Air rep then took us out another door and we passed through BVI Immigration. At this stop they wanted to see our vaccine card and approval letter. Once through this gate, our luggage was waiting immediately on the other side and we got our taxi and went to TMM.

For the way home, we all used (12 including unvaxxed children) the emed tests. The wait time was awful and after several phone calls someone from emed directed to the spanish site instead which had a wait time of 5 min max. We took these tests on a Friday morning and left for the airport Saturday morning. The Cape Air rep checked our negative covid test letters for exit and off we went. When we arrived in SJU we gathered our luggage and followed the cap air rep through customs. They took our picture and off we went. She walked us back to the Cape Air counter where we left our luggage and Cape Air took care of getting it over to United on the correct flight. We went through security and home we came.

Awesome info. Thanks!

Thanks for the update.

For what its worth, we used the Ellume home test (also FDA approved for entry into the US) I bought ours on Amazon a few days before our trip and got them day we left - almost left without them since the package hadn't arrived and we were heading to spend the night at the airport. Amazon truck pulled up as we were leaving so we grabbed them. Scheduled the test for our son online a couple days before we needed to take it. Day of the test, I realized it would be easier to get it done a little earlier, still within our 72 hours for PR requirements. Rescheduled it for 10 mins from current time. Got on the app, did the video call and took the test. 15 mins later we had our results. Very easy. Only thing that would have saved a little time was watching a video ahead of time. But the Azova rep (proctor company) just sent me the link and called us back 5 mins later. Seems like their wait time is much better - probably helps with scheduling the appointment.