That is correct. As of today, a person travelling from the U.S. mainland to St. Thomas via air, then to the BVI via either air or ferry will need to test to get into the BVI. Entry into St. Thomas would require either uploading appropriate proof of vaccination or, if unvaccinated, negative test (test could be same as entry test to BVI).

Likewise, a person travelling from the BVI to St. Thomas via either air or ferry will also need to test and upload proof of vaccination. Testing timeframe is now 5 days prior to entry in both cases.

Clearly, the BVI will be looking at their own covid data metrics to determine when to move in alignment with the USVI policy of accepting vaccination status as the entry protocol. Similarly, the USVI will be looking at the BVI (and other international) metrics to determine when they change protocols for International arrivals.

Until the travel policies of both the USVI and the BVI become more seamless, tourists will continue to have to deal with the testing process, which only discourages tourism. Given the declining numbers everywhere, one can only hope this comes sooner than later.

Interesting that the USVI is now stipulating a 5 day test for international air arrivals when the federal (CDC) mandates are for a 24 hour test. Aren’t they, as a first port of air entry, bound to follow CDC guidelines? Have the CDC international air arrival guidelines changed?

That’s my understanding that we have to test coming back from BVI on the ferry. Right now we’re waiting to get our QR code to get into USVI on Friday so that we can get over to the BVI that afternoon. We submitted yesterday but no response yet. I tried the “track your application” link but it goes to nowhere.

So…..I emailed the USVI portal just to make sure they had received our applications because the track application link was down. Within minutes the approvals for both me and my wife arrived by email. The person also sent an email to let me know it was approved.

Regarding tracking your application, apparently this link below is the correct one to use:

https://creatorapp.zohopublic.com/r...T4H62350OmSF0sjmEN1DCTBCnjN8w0DZe06AtJms

USVI COVID requirements for entry from a foreign country are controlled by the CDC, not by the USVI. So, BVI policies will not influence them. The BVI seems to have been pretty independent throughout the pandemic, so I imagine they’ll continue to set requirements based on local conditions, but it would be great if they only required proof of vaccination.

I doubt that will happen anytime soon. As we all saw during the Omicron outbreak, plenty of vaccinated people will caught COVID, got sick, and most likely spread it to others. It's in our best interest to keep infected persons out of the territory and testing is the only way to do that.

And before people start jumping on me, yes, I understand vaccinated people have more mild symptoms but I can tell you I personally know vaccinated persons who were sick and it still sucked.

The current CDC policy only governs entry by air from a Foreign country. Rules for entry from US flights and international ferries have been created by the USVI. Under CDC guidelines you can fly to and from the USVI from the US and ferry into the USVI without any vaccine or testing requirements.

We’re in the same situation. Could you tell me what there email is that you sent it to?

The USVI has since corrected that initial publication that indicated a 5 day window for international air arrivals. It is indeed controlled by the CDC guidance and they confirmed that it should be one day, not 5 days. They have now updated the pages at USVIUpdate.com and the portal itself. Arrivals by sea (ferry, water taxi) still have a 5 day testing window.