Covid-19 Belize Entry Requirements
Effective February 15th, 2022, all Foreign Tourists entering Belize will be required to to apply for Belize Travel Health Insurance at a cost of $18 USD, it can be purchased before travel or at the Belize International Airport. This mandatory insurance helps protect travelers against incurred medical and non-medical expenses, if they test positive for COVID-19 during their stay in Belize. Details can be found below this graphic below from the Belize Tourism Board, which summarizes arrival procedures and any Belize travel restrictions. Kindly note, procedures can change, so it’s best to check with the Belize Tourism Board site for the most up to date information.
Source: BTB | Updated 8/6/2021
Entering Belize - More Details:
So Belize is open for travel! There are a few things that you need to be aware of before your arrival:
- Effective Monday, August 9th, 2021 all travelers, both vaccinated and unvaccinated, entering Belize from other countries will be required to present a negative COVID-19 test. PCR test taken within 96 hours of travel or a negative result from any approved Antigen Rapid Test taken within 48 hours of travel. If no test is presented, a COVID-19 test will be administered at the airport for a fee of USD $50 per passenger. Only cash is being accepted at this time; credit card machines and ATMs are not available. Children under the age of 5 years will not be required to present a negative test; but children 5 years and older will be required to present a negative test.
- More details on Belize Travel Health Insurance, which will be required for entry to Belize effective Effective February 15th, 2022: "The cost of the policy is $18 USD and provides coverage for up to $50,000 USD in medical expenses related to treatment of COVID-19 for a period of 21 days. This insurance plan will come online under the country’s public health regulations and provide cover for lodging expenses due to quarantine up to $2,000 USD (max $300/day USD). Travelers will also be covered for emergency assistance services such as air evacuation and emergency expenses related to pre-existing conditions. Furthermore, it covers trip cancellations and expenses incurred by COVID-19 positive travelers for extended stays."
Press Release: https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Press-Release---Belize-Tourism-Board-Announces-New-Safe-Travel-Requirements.html?soid=1105674443419&aid=j0_i7vjgVx0
FAQ from the Office of the Director of Health Services, Belize:
- For coming into Belize, are travelers required to bring a printed test result or will a soft copy on their phone do? PRINTED PREFERRED
- After several travel updates, are these still the only approved rapid tests? Sophia, SD Biosensor, ABBOT (Panbio) Covid-19 test? YES, ONLY THESE TEST ARE APPROVED
- Are tests that are sold in US pharmacies acceptable? NO
- Are there any test options other than the nose swab? NO
- Can I just do the spit test? NO RAPID SPIT TEST
Upon Arrival in BZE - More Details:
- NOTE: Effective February 15th, 2022, all Foreign Tourists entering Belize will be required to to apply for Belize Travel Health Insurance at a cost of $18 USD, it can be purchased before travel or at the Belize International Airport.
- You will disembark the plane - wearing a face mask - and proceed to health screening. Throughout travel in Belize, you are required to wear a mask, while in public spaces and at the resort’s shared public spaces as well as maintain social distancing.
- If you brought along your negative COVID-19 PCR test, you will proceed to the ‘fast track’ lane for Immigration & Customs processing. After clearing Immigration and Customs, continue to the domestic airline, Maya Island Air, to check in and board your local flight. Depending on your health screening, you may be randomly selected for secondary testing.
- If you were unable to bring the results of a RT-PCR or approved rapid Covid-19 test, you will be required to proceed to the testing area for a COVID-19 test.
- Testing is at the passengers’ expense and costs US$50.00. Only cash is being accepted at this time; credit card machines and ATMs are not available.
- Testing at the airport will be done on a “Swab and Go” basis for tourists that will be staying in Gold Standard hotels.
- Only positive cases will receive notification from the Ministry of Health within 24 hours at our Gold Standard hotel. Any positive tourist can quarantine at our Gold Standard hotel; quarantine is at the passengers’ expense and the Ministry of Health must provide clearance for you to leave quarantine.
- After being cleared by Health Officials, proceed to Immigration and Customs, and then exit the airport via the Tourism Safe Corridor using Gold Standard or certified air or ground transportation.
- In the case of a display of symptoms while at the resort, you will be required to quarantine at the traveler’s expense.
- If you are placed into quarantine, our cancellation and rescheduling policies still apply. If you are required to be quarantined while at the resort for an extended period of time, the resort will provide a discounted rate for accommodations and meals, pending availability. Kindly note this may involve a room change.
- We do not recommend traveling to Belize if you have displayed symptoms of COVID-19 in the last 14 days prior to your arrival date. This will prevent you having to quarantine in Belize for an extended period of time.
- More information regarding entry requirements can be found on the Belize Tourism site: https://www.travelbelize.org/health-safety/. As well as our resort policies which include necessary COVID-19 updates: https://www.belizeandreams.com/policies.
Covid-19 United States Entry Requirements
Belizean Dreams Resort has coordinated offering antigen testing for visitors returning to the United States which will now require a negative test result upon re-entry.
- Tests will be conveniently administered on property during the appropriate time frame as outlined by the CDC prior to your departure by a testing team and CDC-approved 3rd party laboratory so you can enjoy your vacation and leave the planning to us. We kindly asks guests indicate your vaccination status (and present your vaccine card, if you are vaccinated) upon check in.
- Testing will be scheduled upon arrival to the resort, will be coordinated in accordance with testers availability and offered at your own expense.
- Upon completion of testing, guests can select electronic results as well as obtain a sealed, printed copy.
- In the event of a positive diagnosis, our resort has Covid-19 protocols in place for a guest to quarantine in the comfort of our resort at a discounted rate inclusive of accommodations meals, pending availability. Kindly note this may involve a room change. Contact your reservation specialists directly for additional information. It is our priority to ensure that guests are comfortable until they test with a negative result to depart following governmental and safety guidelines.
From the CDC website:
At this time, all air passengers ages 2 or older, regardless of citizenship or vaccination status, must show a negative result of a COVID-19 viral test or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 before they board a flight to the United States.
While children under 2 years of age are not required to get a test, CDC recommends a pre-departure test for these children whenever possible.
FAQs about recent US government changes can be found here:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/testing-international-air-travelers.html
Canadian and United Kingdom Travelers
Guests traveling from Commonwealth countries such as Canada and the United Kingdom must take PCR tests which require an appointment at an off-site facility. This can be arranged by the concierge or the front desk at least 48 hours in advance of the day of departure at a cost of US$200. Effective January 11, 2022: For travel to England, people who are fully vaccinated and those aged under-18 will no longer need to take a test two days before traveling to England from countries outside the UK. If fully vaccinated, travelers will have to take a post-arrival PCR or lateral flow test on the day they enter the UK or the following two days, but they will no longer have to self-isolate while awaiting the result.
- The PCR test results usually require 24 hours and will be sent to the guest via email. The off-site facility sends the samples to their clinic in San Pedro via plane to process for results.
- Travelers from the UK and Canada, kindly refer to these sites for more complete details, as guests are responsible for understanding COVID travel requirements:
Canada
UK