US, Canada, Mexico and the West Indian islands are among nations that have lifted COVID-19 restrictions.
Image Credit: Vijith Pulikkal/Gulf News
International travel has picked up as countries removed COVID-19 restrictions for visitors. Two years of the global pandemic had brought tourism to a standstill, but with COVID-19 cases declining worldwide, people have begun to travel.
The summer holiday witnessed a surge in travel, yet it was nowhere near the pre-pandemic levels. In the last few months, more COVID restrictions have been eased, paving the way for a spike in passenger traffic and tourism.
Image Credit: Vijith Pulikkal/Gulf News
Here’s a look at the COVID requirements in 16 North American countries to help you decide on holiday travel. Use this only as a general guide since COVID rules change constantly based on the situation in a country. So check again before you finalise travel plans.
1. Antigua and Barbuda
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA: Devil’s Bridge Sea in eastern Antigua features several natural blowholes which shoot up water and spray powered by waves from the Atlantic Ocean.
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Masks: Not required but recommended
COVID-19 test: Not required
Vaccination: Not required
Health form: Not required
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2. The Bahamas
THE BAHAMAS: The Commonwealth of The Bahamas is a country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies in the Atlantic. With 16 major islands, it offers more than 100,000 square miles of clear ocean — a magnet for beachcombers.
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Masks: Required in public transport, all public indoor arenas and some outdoor areas
COVID-19 test: Not required
Vaccination: Not required
Health form: Passengers are required to complete a Health Questionnaire on arrival
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Test requirements: A visitor with COVID-19 will be required to take a Rapid Antigen Test. A negative result is required to continue with their vacation.
3. Barbados
BARBADOS: An independent British Commonwealth nation, the eastern Caribbean island has plenty of beautiful beaches, botanical gardens, the Harrison’s Cave formation and 17th-century plantation houses. Bridgetown, the capital, is a cruise-ship port with colonial buildings.
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Masks: Optional
COVID-19 test: Not required
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Vaccination: Not required
Health form: Not required
Travel form: Complete the online travel form and other border entry documentation. Immigration/Customs form should be completed at least 72 hours before travel.
4. Belize
BELIZE: The Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, comprises seven protected areas or marine reserves. The largest reef complex in the Atlantic-Caribbean region is the largest reef system in the world after the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.
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Masks: Not required
COVID-19 test: Not required
Vaccination: Not required
Health form: Not required
Travel insurance: Not mandatory but is highly recommended by the Belize Tourism Board.
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5. Canada
CANADA: Niagara Falls is a group of three waterfalls at the southern end of Niagara Gorge, spanning the border between the province of Ontario in Canada and the state of New York in the United States. Formed by the Niagara River, the combined falls have the highest flow rate of any waterfall in North America and have a vertical drop of more than 50 metres.
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Masks: No mask is required, but its use on airlines and public transportation is recommended.
COVID-19 test: Not required
Vaccination: Not required
Form requirements: Registration in Canada's electronic tracking system, ArriveCAN, is optional.
6. The Cayman Islands
THE CAYMAN ISLANDS: A self-governing British Overseas Territory, the Cayman Islands includes three islands in the western Caribbean Sea. They are famous for their beach resorts, scuba diving and snorkelling sites, and deep-sea fishing excursions. Little Cayman, the smallest island, is home to diverse wildlife.
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Masks: Optional
COVID-19 test: Not required
Vaccination: Not required
Arrival form: No longer required to apply for a Travel Declaration or Travel Request via Travel Cayman
7. Costa Rica
COSTA RICA: The tropical rainforests of the Central American country are home to some 12,000 species of plants, 1,239 species of butterflies, 838 species of birds, 440 species of reptiles and amphibians, and 232 species of mammals.
Image Credit: Pixabay
Masks: Not required, but it is recommended
COVID-19 test: Not required
Vaccination: Not required
Health form: Not required
8. Cuba
CUBA: The El Capitolio Nacional, or National Capitol, is one of the most emblematic buildings in Central Havana. Similar to the Capitol in Washington, DC, the building modelled on the Panthéon in Paris was the seat of the Cuban Congress till 1959 before it housed the Cuban Academy of Sciences and the National Library of Science and Technology.
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Masks: Mask is required at the airport
COVID-19 test: Not required for arrival. Passengers may be subject to a random COVID-19 test on arrival.
Vaccination: Not required
Passenger Locator Form: Passengers must complete the Advanced Travel Information before boarding.
Health form: Not required
9. Greenland
GREENLAND: Oqaatsut, formerly Rodebay, is a settlement in Avannaata municipality in western Greenland. Now called Kalaallisut for “Cormorants”, the village was a trading post for 18th-century Dutch whalers.
Image Credit: Pixabay
Masks: Not required
COVID-19 test: Not required
Vaccination: Not required
Health form: Not required
Insurance requirements: Passengers are advised to have health travel insurance.
10. Grenada
GRENADA: St. George’s is the capital of the Caribbean island of Grenada. The 18th-century Fort George offers panoramic views of the island and St. George’s Bay.
Image Credit: Pixabay
Masks: Not required
COVID-19 test: Not required
Vaccination: Not required
Health form: Not required
11. Guatemala
GUATEMALA: Tikal, a pre-Columbian Mayan site buried within the Guatemalan jungle, is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and much of the city is still buried under the forests and overgrowth. The huge ancient Maya city with beautiful, crumbling temples and ruins date back to 1000 BC when it thrived as a major city in Mesoamerica during the Maya Classic Era.
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Masks: Mask is required in public transport, public indoor and outdoor areas
COVID-19 test: Not required
Vaccination: Not required
Health form: Not required
12. Jamaica
JAMAICA: Ocho Rios is Spanish for Eight Rivers, but there are no eight rivers in the town of Saint Ann on Jamaica’s north coast. It is a popular tourist destination with a cruise-ship terminal, beaches and resorts.
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Masks: Not required
COVID-19 test: Not required
Vaccination: Not required
Health form: Not required
13. Mexico
MEXICO: Temple of Kukulcán, or La Pirámide, is a Mesoamerican step-pyramid in the centre of the Chichen Itza archaeological site in the Mexican state of Yucatán. Built by the pre-Columbian Maya civilization sometime between the 8th and 12th centuries AD, the pyramid served as a temple to Kukulcán, the Yucatec Maya Feathered Serpent deity.
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Masks: Mask is required at the airport and in some parts of the country
COVID-19 test: Not required
Vaccination: Not required
Health form: Travellers are required to register and submit a health declaration form. The QR Code should be presented at the port of entry.
14. Panama
PANAMA: The Panama Canal is an artificial 82km waterway in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean and divides North and South America. The canal that cuts across the Isthmus of Panama facilitates maritime trade as it greatly reduces the time for ships to travel between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
Image Credit: Pixabay
Masks: Required only in public transport and health facilities
COVID-19 test: Not required for entry.
Vaccination: Not required
Health form: Not required
15. Trinidad and Tobago
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO: The famous North Coast Road runs along the coast for about 25 kilometres until it comes to an abrupt end at Three Pools. It offers one of Trinidad’s most scenic drives, teetering along 300m-high cliffs and tunnelling past precipices of the rainforest with occasional views of distant peaks.
Image Credit: Pixabay
Masks: Not required. Recommended in public space
COVID-19 test: Not required for entry.
Vaccination: Not required
Health form: Not required
16. The United States
THE UNITED STATES: The Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a colossal sculpture that pays tribute to four United States presidents — George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln — with 60-foot-tall faces carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills near Keystone, South Dakota.
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Masks: No masks are required, but it is recommended at healthcare facilities.
COVID-19 test: Not required
Vaccination: Not required for citizens and passengers on immigrant visas. All others have to present a vaccination certificate.
Form requirements: Visitors aged 2 years and above must present a completed Passenger Disclosure and Attestation to the United States of America form before boarding.