St. Kitts and Nevis Is Making It Easier for Vaccinated Travelers to Visit — What to Know for Your Next Trip

The Caribbean islands of St. Kitts and Nevis have dropped all quarantine and on-arrival testing requirements for fully-vaccinated travelers, just as other countries are increasing restrictions amid the spread of the omicron variant of the coronavirus.

The new rules, which went into effect on Saturday, apply to fully vaccinated international travelers, nationals, and locals who will no longer be required to get tested upon arrival or quarantine for 24 hours while awaiting test results, the St. Kitts Tourism Authority shared with Travel + Leisure. Travelers will also be able to stay at multiple hotels or move between the two islands.

While the islands will only allow vaccinated travelers to visit, unvaccinated children under 12 who arrive with fully vaccinated parents or guardians will be exempt.

"The end of our Vacation in Place protocol for Air Travelers and Free Flow for Cruise passengers are major achievements in our phased approach to tourism recovery in the [COVID-19] Pandemic," Lindsay F.P. Grant, the minister of tourism, transport, and ports, said in a statement shared with T+L. "We will maintain all tourism protocols through Travel Approved Certification for both air and cruise passengers. All stakeholders must be vaccinated to operate Travel Approved taxi/tours, attractions, excursions, restaurants, bars, or provide vendor services such as hair braiding. We are confident that our continued focus on a phased reopening will enable a meaningful rebound of the industry."

While St. Kitts and Nevis are easing many entry restrictions, all visitors will still be required to show proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours of their arrival and fill out an embarkation form, according to the tourism authority.

Visitors must also stay at a "Travel Approved" hotel and show proof of vaccination to visit attractions or book tours.

The decision to relax restrictions on the Caribbean islands come as several countries have cracked down on travel amid the fast spread of the omicron variant. The United States, for example, now requires all international travelers — including U.S. citizens returning from abroad — to get tested within one day of boarding a flight to the country.

Alison Fox is a contributing writer for Travel + Leisure. When she's not in New York City, she likes to spend her time at the beach or exploring new destinations and hopes to visit every country in the world. Follow her adventures on Instagram.