Aruba reopened its borders to travelers last summer. Since then, those that are willing to complete the Aruba travel requirements are welcome to visit this popular and stunning Caribbean paradise. Jon and I recently traveled to Aruba for a week and experienced first hand the requirements and the protocols in place for visiting Aruba. In this post I will be sharing all of the Aruba travel requirements in place for traveling to Aruba right now. For tips on how to travel safely during COVID-19 check out my post on this here.
Aruba, also known as “One Happy Island”, is a small Dutch Caribbean island famous for its white sand beaches. This beautiful island is located just a few miles north of Venezuela. Travelers are drawn to this destination for its steady climate. The average temperature is around 82 degrees year round. It is also located just below the hurricane belt. This makes it one of the only Caribbean destinations safe to travel to year round without worries of tropical storms or hurricanes. After visiting this spring, it’s easy to see how this is a favorite trip for many Americans.
Aruba Travel Requirements
All visitors to the island must complete the online embarkation/disembarkation process (ED process) for entry. There are five components to this process and it must be completed no earlier than three days prior to your arrival in Aruba. Once all sections are complete you will receive a confirmation email with an approval document. You will need this document to travel to and enter Aruba. It’s important to remember that these requirements are in place to make traveling to Aruba as safe as possible for everyone.
Negative Molecular/PCR Test
Currently, all travelers 15 years of age and older are required to provide proof of a negative molecular test to visit the island. There are two options for testing. Travelers can either choose to show proof of a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of arrival or take a test upon arrival at the airport in Aruba. Travelers who opt to test upon arrival will do so at their own expense. Those travelers must self-isolate at pre-booked accommodations until the results are final. The test must be prepaid through Aruba’s online documentation process. The cost is $75 per person.
Travelers flying with JetBlue have the option to to test prior to arrival in Aruba through a partnership with Vault Health. Those who choose this test will complete an at-home saliva PCR/Molecular COVID-19 test. The cost of this test option is $119. We chose this route for our trip in March and the entire process could not have been easier. You simply order your test through this link. Vault health has put together a super helpful chart to figure out exactly when you need to order, test and mail in your test kit ahead of your flight to be within the 72 hour window that is required.
Vault Health test process:
- Order your test kit online via Vault Health link.
- Receive your kit via expedited shipping.
- Zoom with a Vault supervisor who will guide you through the test.
- Ship your sample back using the prepaid expedited shipping label.
- Receive your results report prior to your trip.
Pro Tip: If flying JetBlue and taking advantage of the Vault Health test, to make your arrival even easier in Aruba download the CommonPass app. This allows you to link your negative test ahead of time and will help to get you through the Aruba airport and onto your vacation even faster.
Basic Traveler Information & Personal Health Assessment
Aruba requires that all travelers confirm a variety of personal health and travel information prior to arrival. The basic traveler information includes items such as name, date of birth, passport information, length of stay etc. The personal health assessment includes questions that relate to COVID-19 symptoms and possible exposure. This must be completed between 72 hours and 4 hours of arrival in Aruba.
Required Insurance Coverage
Another requirement is for all visitors to purchase the Aruba Visitors Insurance. This insurance is mandatory for all visitors. It must be purchased online as part of the ED process. This insurance helps protect visitors against any medical and non-medical expenses should you test positive for COVID-19 while in Aruba. The insurance is a flat premium of $30 US per person. Even if you have your own travel insurance, you must purchase the Aruba Visitor Insurance to receive approval to visit the island. Once you complete the ED process online, you will receive your insurance policy documents via email.
Agreement to Aruba Government Mandates
The final section of the ED process requires travelers to formally agree to the government mandates set forth by Aruba. These include agreeing to things such as the testing requirements, quarantine requirements in Aruba should you test positive, mask and social distancing mandates and curfew protocols set forth by the government as part of their response to COVID-19.
Aruba Health and Safety Protocols
Aruba has country-wide restrictions and protocols in place to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Like most countries these are changing frequently and as needed and can include:
- Social distancing of at least 6 ft
- Hand washing/sanitizing frequently
- Mandatory mask wearing in certain places – indoors, airport etc.
- Curfews for businesses (outside of resorts)
To review the most up to date protocols ahead of a future trip be sure to check the official Aruba website.
Testing to return to the United States
As of January 2021, it is mandatory for all Americans returning from a foreign country to present a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of arrival back into the states.
Most resorts offer testing services on site making it super convenient to arrange a test while vacationing. We paid $100 US per person for our tests at our resort. Depending on the resort, the range we’ve seen is $90-$150 US for these tests. We were told that we could go to another local testing site for around $50 US. We ultimately decided that we would pay for the convenience and reassurance of testing through our resort. Our results were returned to us within 24 hours and in plenty of time for our planned return flight home. I definitely recommend inquiring with your resort upon arrival to ensure that you understand their testing procedures and are able to schedule your test when most convenient for you.
Our experience in Aruba with the Aruba Travel Requirements
We had nothing but a positive and healthy travel experience visiting Aruba. From the moment we arrived to the moment that we left, we felt very safe and confident in the protocols being followed. Businesses, restaurants, vendors and other travelers alike are all taking the protocols seriously.
Aruba Travel Requirements before departure
Like I said previously, we chose to test prior to arrival through the Vault Health partnership with JetBlue. We ordered the test online about 10 days prior to our scheduled departure. The test kit arrived at our front door within two days. 72 hours before our flight we joined a zoom call with a Vault Health Supervisor to complete our tests. That morning we dropped the kits off at our local UPS store. Within 48 hours we had our results emailed directly to us. We also chose to use the CommonPass app to expedite our arrival through the airport. This app allows you to link your Vault Health test for verification prior to arrival.
Aruba travel requirements upon arrival in Aruba
Upon arrival at the airport, we had to first show the screenshot of our negative test results. Then we were each handed a blue laminated card with a number, a card to present at our hotel to confirm our negative results and allowed to proceed to the customs officer. After scanning our passports, the customs officer knew that we had taken advantage of CommonPass. At this point, we exchanged our blue card for an orange card. We later found out that this was like getting the fast pass at Disney World. We did not have to go through any further screening and were pointed to an expedited line to exit the airport. If flying JetBlue, I highly recommend taking advantage of the Vault Health test and CommonPass app to make for an easy arrival in Aruba.
Add Aruba to your travel bucket list.
If Aruba is not on your radar, now is the time to add it! It’s definitely a relatively easy trip from the east coast to the Caribbean. With pristine beaches, lovely weather year round, and endless options for adventures and activities, Aruba is a destination that you definitely don’t want to miss out on.
0 Comments
Trackbacks/Pingbacks