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PROTOCOLS FOR TRAVELING TO JAMAICA
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PRE-TESTING REQUIREMENT FOR VISITORS FROM HIGH RISK LOCATIONS
• Non-residents visiting Jamaica (other than business travellers) aged 12 and over who are
residents of locations designated as high-risk by the Jamaican health authorities will be
required to obtain a COVID-19 RT-PCR test within 10 days prior to their intended date of
travel to Jamaica. This requirement became mandatory for persons arriving in Jamaica on
or after July 15. All persons applying to enter on visitjamaica.com from the designated
high-risk locations are required to upload their COVID-19 RT-PCR test certificate as part
of the application process.
• All residents of the United States of America (USA), Brazil, Dominican Republic or Mexico
who are 12 years of age or over, with travel dates of August 20, 2020 or later will be
required to obtain a COVID-19 RT-PCR test. The test should be conducted within 10 days
of the intended travel date at a medical laboratory that is accredited by the relevant
national health authorities. For the United States of America, the medical laboratory
should be accredited by the College of American Pathologists (CAP).
• The above test requirement is already in effect for travel dates before August 20, for
residents of the states of Arizona, Florida, New York and Texas in the USA.
CATEGORY 1: RESIDENTS - JAMAICAN NATIONALS AND NON-NATIONALS
ORDINARILY RESIDENT IN JAMAICA
• Jamaican nationals and non-nationals ordinarily resident in Jamaica may be subject to
testing if assessed as high-risk as a result of exhibiting symptoms, exposure to persons
who have tested positive, belonging to a high-risk group or other risk factors. High-risk
groups include cruise ship workers, involuntarily returned migrants and health care
workers. For persons required to be tested for COVID-19, the test will be a RT-PCR test
and a sample will be taken by oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal swabbing.
• Whether or not persons are required to be tested, they will be required to remain in
quarantine at home for 14 days from their date of entry to Jamaica. If persons are
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Visit Jamaica Portal https://www.visitjamaica.com/travelauthorization/traveller-categories/#Corridor
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required to be tested and their test is negative, they will be required to complete their
quarantine at home for 14 days from their date of entry to Jamaica. If the test is positive,
they will be isolated either at home or in a government facility as determined by the
health authorities.
• Persons assessed by the health authorities as presenting a very low risk of spread may be
required to stay at home for 14 days from their date of entry to Jamaica. These persons
would be allowed to leave their home only once per day, to go to the closest practicable
location for the purpose of obtaining food, medical supplies or medical services,
conducting financial transactions, overseeing their place of business, attending a place of
worship, and physical exercise. They would also be required to work from home.
CATEGORY 2: NON-RESIDENTS VISITING JAMAICA FOR TOURISM PURPOSES AND
STAYING AT APPROVED “RESILIENT CORRIDOR” ACCOMMODATION
• The pre-testing requirement described above is applicable to persons in this category if
they are residents of locations designated as high risk by the Jamaican health authorities.
Note that based on health screening and risk assessment on arrival, persons may still be
required to be tested at the airport or designated facility, if, for example, they are
exhibiting symptoms or belong to a high-risk group despite presenting a negative COVID-
19 RT-PCR test certificate. In this case, they would await their test result in their hotel
room.
• If the test is negative, they would remain at their hotel/resort within the “resilient
corridor” and restricted to property under the “stay in zone” measure.
• If the test is positive, they would be isolated either at the hotel/resort or in a government
facility as determined by the health authorities.
• Persons not required to be tested on arrival will be allowed to go to their hotel/resort
under the “stay in zone” measure.
CATEGORY 3: NON-RESIDENTS VISITING JAMAICA FOR BUSINESS PURPOSES
• Effective August 20, 2020, all residents of USA, Brazil, Dominican Republic and Mexico
travelling to Jamaica for business purposes are required to upload a COVID-19 RT-PCR test
in order to obtain a Travel Authorization. The test should be conducted within 10 days of
the intended travel date at a medical laboratory that is accredited by the relevant national
health authorities.
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• Business travellers are non-residents travelling to conduct business on behalf of a
company or organization. This traveller category does NOT include other non-residents
or residents travelling to attend funerals, weddings, other family gatherings or conduct
personal interest activities.
• Business travellers will also be tested on arrival at the airport in Jamaica. The test will be
a COVID-19 RT-PCR test and a sample will be taken by oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal
swabbing.
• They will await their test results under quarantine at their hotel/intended address.
• If the test is negative, they would be released from quarantine and be under a
“Quarantine Order for Business Travellers” measure for a period of 14 days from their
date of entry to Jamaica or for the duration of their stay if shorter than 14 days.
• If the test is positive, they would be isolated either at their hotel/intended address or in
a government facility as determined by the health authorities.
• Non-residents visiting Jamaica for business purposes for 14 days or more will be subject
to the same testing and quarantine protocols as described above for category 1.
CATEGORY 4: NON-RESIDENTS VISITING JAMAICA FOR OTHER PURPOSES
INCLUDING TOURISTS NOT STAYING WITHIN THE “RESILIENT CORRIDOR”
• The pre-testing requirement described above is applicable to persons in this category if
they are residents of locations designated as high risk by the Jamaican health authorities.
Persons who are not required to pre-test may be required to be tested at the airport or
other designated facility, if assessed by the health authorities as high-risk based on health
screening and risk assessment on arrival. For persons required to be tested for COVID-19,
the test will be a RT-PCR test and a sample will be taken by oropharyngeal and
nasopharyngeal swabbing. They will then await their test results under quarantine at their
hotel/intended address.
• Whether or not persons are required to be tested, they will be required to remain
in quarantine at home for 14 days from their date of entry to Jamaica. If persons are
required to be tested and their test is negative, they will be required to remain in
quarantine at home for 14 days from their date of entry to Jamaica. If the test is positive,
they will be isolated either at home or in a government facility as determined by the
health authorities.
