Frequently Asked Questions for outbound travelers: USA Specific FAQs

I'm a US citizen. Do I still need to have a test before boarding my flight in Jamaica?

The latest CDC Order applies to all air passengers, 2 years of age or older, traveling into the US, including US citizens and legal permanent residents. Travelers must also confirm information presented is true, in the form of an attestation, collected by the airline.

When do I need to get a test to travel to the US? And what kind of test do I need?

Per the guidance of the CDC, testing must take place no more than 3 days before your flight to the US departs. The US is accepting both PCR and antigen tests. Make sure that you receive your results before your flight departs and have written or electronic documentation of your results to show the airline. Personal identifiers on your negative test results must match the personal information on your passport or other travel documents.

What if I recently recovered from COVID-19?

CDC does not recommend getting tested again in the three months after a positive viral test, as long as you do not have symptoms of COVID-19. If you have had a positive viral test in the past three (3) months, and you have met the criteria to end isolation, you may travel instead with documentation of your positive viral test results and a letter from your healthcare provider or a public health official that states you have been cleared for travel. The positive test result and letter together are referred to as “documentation of recovery.

What if I have had a COVID-19 vaccine? Do I still need a negative COVID-19 test or documentation of recovery from COVID-19?

All air passengers traveling from Jamaica to the US, including those who have received one or both vaccination dosages, are required to provide a negative COVID-19 test result or documentation of recovery in order to board their flight to the United States.

Who will check my test results or documentation of recovery?

The airline will confirm a COVID-19 negative test result or documentation of recovery for all passengers before boarding. Personal identifiers (name and birth date) on your negative test result or documentation of recovery must match the personal identifiers on your passport or other travel documentation.

What happens if I don’t take a test before my flight?

If a passenger chooses not to provide a test result or documentation of recovery, the airline must deny boarding to the passenger.

What happens if I test positive?

If you test positive while in Jamaica, a series of public health protocols get activated to manage the risk and to ensure you receive the necessary care, if needed. See more below.

What is a verifiable test result?

A verifiable test result must be in the form of written documentation (paper or electronic copy) of a laboratory test result. Testing must be performed using a viral test (NAAT or antigen). The test result documentation must include information that identifies the person (which must match the name that appears on the passenger's passport), a specimen collection date and the type of test. A negative test result must show test was done within the 3 days before the flight.

What kind of documentation of my test result do I need to provide?

CDC requires that air passengers ages 2 and older arriving in the US have a paper or electronic copy of their test result for review by the airline before you board and for potential review by public health officials after you arrive in the US. Likewise, all persons who are 12 years of age or over, are required to obtain a negative COVID-19 PCR or Antigen test result before travel to Jamaica.\

Do I need to get a test before leaving for Jamaica?

All persons who are 12 years of age or over, are required to obtain a negative COVID-19 PCR or Antigen test result before travel to Jamaica. The test must be authorized by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) or meet the standards of the World Health Organization (WHO), and must be performed by a College of American Pathologists (CAP) accredited, Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) registered or ISO 15189 certified laboratory. The date of the sample collection must be within 3 days of the date of travel to Jamaica. The negative test result must be presented to the airline representative in order to complete the check in for a flight to Jamaica. For more information on travel entry requirements, please go to visitjamaica.com.

Does the testing order apply to all flights? Or just commercial flights?

This order applies to all flights, including private flights and general aviation aircraft (charter flights). Passengers traveling by air into the US are required to have proof of testing regardless of flight type.

Do I have to quarantine when I arrive home from Jamaica?

Some state and local governments may have travel restrictions and quarantine requirements in addition to the national testing requirement. Check here for more.

My trip is less than 3 days. Will I still need a test?

Yes; the latest CDC order requires testing prior to boarding a flight to the US, regardless of trip duration.

If I have one or more connecting flights to the US, does the 3-day period apply to the first flight or the last one?

If you are arriving on a direct flight to the US, your test must be done within the 3 days before your flight to the US departs. If you are arriving to the US via one or more connecting flights, your test must be done in the 3 days before the first flight in your itinerary, but only if the connecting flights were booked as a single passenger record with a final destination in the US and each connection (layover) is no longer than 24 hours long. If your connecting flight to the US was booked separately or a connection in your itinerary lasts longer than 24 hours, you will need to get tested within the 3 days before your flight that arrives in the US.

What happens if my flight is delayed and it goes over the 3-day limit for testing?

If your flight from Jamaica is delayed before departure, you will need to get re-tested if the delay causes your test to fall outside of the 3-day pre-departure testing period requirement.

If I am connecting through the US to another country, do I still need to get tested?

Yes. Any flight entering the US from Jamaica, even for a connection, will require testing before departure.

Where can I be tested?

Many hotels & resorts listed here are providing onsite testing for their guests. If you are staying somewhere other than one of these properties, laboratory testing options can be found here.

Can I be tested at my resort?

Many hotels & resorts listed here are providing onsite testing for their guests. If you are staying somewhere other than one of these properties, laboratory testing options can be found here.

How much will a test cost in Jamaica?

If testing is not a part of the vacation package, travelers can expect to pay $60.00 to $100.00 for Antigen tests or $150.00 to $230.00 for PCR tests. Both test forms are acceptable under the current U.S. Order.

What if I forget the paper copy of my test results? Can I print them at the airport?

Air travelers who forget physical copies of their test results will be permitted to show electronic copies.

What happens if someone tests positive for COVID-19 while in Jamaica?

If staying in a hotel:

1. The positive status must be reported to the medical officer / nurse at the hotel.
2. The medical officer / nurse will inform the Ministry of Health immediately.
3. If the visitor is tested at a lab, the lab will immediately inform the Ministry of Health and the hotel medical team.
4. The visitor will be relocated to one of the designated isolation rooms in the hotel & family members will be quarantined.
5. The visitor will remain in the isolation room and be monitored for symptoms.
6. If the Ministry of Health is unsatisfied with the isolation arrangements, the guest may be relocated to a government facility.
7. If symptoms persist with complications, the guest may be transferred to a public hospital or a private medical facility subject to insurance coverage.

If staying in private home or villa:

1. The visitor must inform the Ministry of Health immediately at 1-888-786-2703.
2. If the visitor is tested at a lab, the lab will immediately inform the Ministry of Health.
3. The visitor must isolate immediately in room at the private home or villa.
4. If the Ministry of Health is unsatisfied with the isolation arrangements, the guest may be relocated to a government facility.
5. If symptoms persist with complications, the guest may be transferred to a public hospital or a private medical facility subject to insurance coverage.
6. The Ministry of Health will monitor the visitor via frequent telephone and video calls.