Last updated: November 16, 2020. This article will be updated as new information is provided. For more COVID-19 country re-opening and border updates, subscribe to our newsletter here or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
Aruba, known by many names including the “happiness” island, is once again open to international traffic. As it stands, the country has had to revisit its entry policies numerous times in response to a previous spike in cases, which has since been drastically cut down. Here’s what you need to know if you’re planning to visit.
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Travelers from the following regions are now being allowed to visit Aruba:
Residents of the following regions will be allowed to visit Aruba from December 1, 2020:
Guests 15 years and older planning on visiting Aruba can either present a negative result from a COVID-19 molecular test conducted up to 72 hours before their flight to the island, or they can be tested at the airport for a fee of US $75.
If you choose to pre-test, please check out the official Aruba testing website for details as to what types of tests are accepted (as molecular tests is a pretty broad category). Tests conducted at the airport have a turnaround time of about 6-8 hours. During that time, guests will be required to quarantine.
Home-based test kits are not allowed with the exception of the ones being provided if you are flying in with JetBlue. The airline has partnered with Vault Heath, which offers self-based testing at home, but under the supervision of a Vault Health Specialist via a Zoom video call. Details about that can be found here.
Besides testing, all visitors coming into Aruba will be required to fill out the upgraded Embarkation and Disembarkation (ED) qualifying form. Previously, the ED form was convenient because you could enter your information online and submit it directly to immigration rather than having to fill it out on the aircraft, but the enhanced form now requires five different types of information. Based on the answers, the authorities will then either approve or deny your entry 3 days before your entry, and will send the decision via email.
The form is broken down as follows:
1) Basic Traveler Information
Travelers will need to provide basic details such as date of birth, passport information, length of stay, etc. Once your trip is booked, you should start the process of completing this form.
2) Personal Health Assessment
Travelers will be asked basic medical questions like whether they were in contact with someone who may have COVID-19; if they have any COVID-19 related symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, or loss of smell/taste; if they have been in a 14-day quarantine recently, and so on.
3) Negative Molecular COVID-19 test required
Discussed above.
4) Requisite Insurance Coverage
Guests will also be required to purchase travel insurance via the Aruba Visitor Insurance website for a small one-time fee, with overall coverage up to US $75,000. This insurance is mandatory, but you can purchase additional insurance from your own provider if you feel you need additional coverage.
Should you contract the virus, the insurance covers many of the necessities including testing, doctor’s visits, hospitalization and intensive care, as well as isolation and transportation expenses. The prices are as follows:
The payment will be required in the final stages of completing the ED card. The purchase window opens from 72 hours to 4 hours before arrival.
5) Consent to Aruba Government Mandates
Visitors will also be required to comply with local safety policies set by the government including:
Guests entering with the island with a negative test result in hand will not be required to quarantine, while those taking on-island tests when they arrival, will be subject to up to a 24 hour quarantine period, but usually they will have results within 6-8 hours. If you receive a negative result, you will be released from quarantine.
Guests will be required to wear masks in certain conditions such as:
In places not mentioned above, masks are not required, but it is strongly advised that they still be used where social distancing may be impossible, or where establishments may not have plexiglass dividers. Examples of places where masks are not mandatory include, but is not limited to, food and beverage establishments, outdoor retail shops, outdoor attractions, parks, bike paths and walkways, etc.
Aruba dealt with a rise in cases in August, but managed to significantly trim that figure, and as of November 15, the number of daily infections continues to trend downwards. In the last few days, infections averaged around 10 a day or less. As of November 15, there were 4,662 cases with 4,534 recoveries and 44 deaths.
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[Featured Photo: Bradley Wint/Gate Checked]
