BVI Entry Portal "UP"

The BVI Entry Portal appears to be up. I have heard from one person who has successfully negotiated it and received approval for his family to enter on December first.

The BVI Entry Portal

It's up, but there is no provision for homeowners without residency. You have to provide proof of payment for your quarantine lodgings. Another day, another wrinkle.

Found another problem. It says to get authorization before making travel plans, but you need your flight details to get authorization!

How did they do this when the test must be within 5 days of travel. The site requires the proof of test document to be uploaded. I couldn't find an option to upload later.

RatmansWife--That was the statement I made before, that presumably you would need to enter your flight details to get the authorization. The authorization has to be tied to a specific itinerary. Someone didn't think that one through, let alone the concept that NO ONE is going to wait until 5 days out to book their flight..

Apparently the test results do not need to be uploaded but you have to agree that you will be tested in accordance with their instructions. This is second hand from the individual who provided the information. The test would be "stale" if done now as no tourists can enter until December 1.

Carol, while that is true, it was based on presumptions, as the website wasn't live. Now it's live. Unfortunately visitors are the ones experiencing the beta version, and because introduction was delayed, there's not much time to fix it.

By the time they get all the kinks worked out they will need to get ready for the next big upgrade.

How to handle VACINATED TRAVLERS.

Hopefully they will fly in the Oxford vaccine once approved as there should be no wait time as in the others that have been proved successful , this one is ready to go in the hundreds of millions of doses and the UK has enough for everyone

https://www.facebook.com/ukinbvi/photos/a.2134070916618733/5350602884965504/

The portal is working. We submitted our applications this morning and received approval certificates in the afternoon. There was not a need to upload test results, just select the option that says you have not been tested yet. You are required to bring proof of negative test with you. Interestingly, the certificate says the test must have been taken within 7 days of arrival. Not 3, not 5, seven (7) days. Not sure if I believe that.

My wife had no trouble getting on to the site early this morning. I didn't get to it until several hours later and found the site to be unresponsive. I had to try a couple times before I got in and received the login password. Have your proof of medical insurance and receipt for your accommodations (or charter invoice) handy for uploading.

Best of luck, fellow travelers.
Chris.

Husker--wow, OK, a total work in progress. Best wishes.

Very interesting.

The "entry protocols" document posted at https://www.bvitourism.com/reopening states:

"2. Obtain a Certified RT-PCR SARS-CoV-2 negative test result 5 days before arrival and submit it on the App. Sampling must be nasopharyngeal and in the case of children 5 to 9 years old oropharyngeal. Children under age 5 will only be tested if medically indicated."

They still have a lot of coordination to do with these protocols.

When agreeing to the protocols in the portal it matches all the other documentation that says 5 days for the test. I would not recommend trying to arrive with a 7 day test and relying on the verbiage on the certificate. Even though the government certificate is wrong, I doubt they will be forgiving...

As you go through the application you will find drop down answers to the questions. Going in as a homeowner but a non resident the choices for the question on accomodation only has hotel and resort responses. I asked the Whats App Steering Committee help service and was told go in as a RESIDENT. That worked, there are drop down choices for all form of residents including "part time residents". I found the Seaborne flights on my Jet Blue ticket didn't match whith the drop downs answers allowed so I looked up the Seaborne flights for my arrival time and found one that lined up with what they said it should be. There was no prompt to upload my insurance information or test results but it was cear you had to have these with you when you travelled. I completed the application and got my approval minutes later.

I received my travel authorization certificate within 30 minutes of applying on Tuesday. My wife still hasn't gotten her's. Recent updated from SteerCo indicate I will have to go back into the gateway portal and upload the negative test result taken with the 5 day window. Not sure how that is going to play out. I logged into the site again yesterday and my status had changed from "Approved" to "Pending". Not sure what to do at this point but see how it all plays out.🤪

Looks like it's down again. I tried to get on earlier today and got one of those warning boxes saying someone could be impersonating the website. Now it doesn't work. Hope they are debugging it, because going down for a day when people are up against a deadline will be not good.

Hey Ratmans - Just try again. I've been in and out of the site several times. Sometimes it works, others, not.

We submitted our applications several days ago. Just received an email saying my app needed further info (upload neg test result and proof of COVID travel insurance). There does not appear to be a way to open up the application record and add the addition info. Anyone else having the same issue?

Also, what the heck is COVID travel insurance? We have insurance which covers any medical condition, including int'l travel.

I haven't looked at the application, but when if it says PROOF of Covid travel insurance, one would think you would have to copy part of the terms of the policy. Most travel insurance doesn't even mention Covid at all. I watched the video from the lady from the steering committee and she said that you would be able to go back in and add additional information, but apparently she forgot to tell the computer geeks that??

And Dec 1 is rapidly approaching........geez

There are numerous bugs. So far I don't believe any of the upload capability works. There are several URLs that have been published, the URLs starting with WWW will give you an error indicating the site is insecure (this is because the site name does not match the digital security certificate). For most people it will not work. The URLs starting with BVIGATEWAY don't give the error and allow you to log in and fill out the information. I hesitate to say they "work" because they still don't provide all the "advertised" functionality but they are about as good as it gets. If you are trying to go to the BVI this coming week, please bring along a big dose of patience (and a big thick book to read).

How can this be? They hired top-notch Jamaican software developers. Not to mention it's fully integrated with the tracking app and waterproof gps bracelet.

Husker: Many travel insurance policies do not cover COVID if there is a travel advisory against travel in place (as there is now) so you need to call your insurer and verify whether you have it or not. There are a few companies that expressively do offer the coverage and since the coverage I have from my emplorer is one of them I bought one of these policies for that reason.

Like you, I have information I was expecting to upload later but I don't know how to locate and access my application and add this. if you ever find out please let us know.

GaryC - Still working on getting our test and insurance docs uploaded to the BVI gateway site. I've contacted them at their WhatsAp address and they are trying to help. Not resolved yet.

Regarding insurance - I was able to purchase the required insurance using the below link. Easy enough. Enter your specifics and you get quotes from a number of carriers.

https://www.squaremouth.com/22390-4195/axa-assistance-usa

[quote=Husker


https://www.squaremouth.com/22390-4195/axa-assistance-usa

[/quote]

I was quite surprised that a) Travel insurance was available b) Covers Covid infections C) Cancel for any reason sis still available And pricing seemed lower than I expected.

Have the requirements of the insurance been posted? If one owns a house, it seems that should cover the lodging portion. If you have medical insurance and medical evacuation insurance, what else would you need? I'm not interested in paying for unneeded insurance.

This is what is irritating me the most: lack of specificity. Have they announced the quarantine anchorages? The remote sites quarantined boaters can visit? Are other (non-quarantined) people prohibited from visiting those same sites? Re-opening is two days away and there are a lot of loose ends.

In one of the videos, they mentioned residents don't need to carry insurance.

To keep the insurance cost down, I opted out of trip cancellation coverage (that has the biggest impact on premium) and got the most basic policy: medical, medical evac and repatriation coverage, plus a few other odds and ends that come with the basic policy. $118 total for the two of us for 18 days.

I agree, if you have other medical insurance you probably don't need the supplemental policy...but, whatever, just decided to do our best to check all the boxes to get our travel approval.....which I got late last night....finally!

Congrats to you Husker. Hope you have a terrific trip. And we're all counting on you to let us know how it goes.

Jason, word is that landowners register on the "resident" side of the portal, even if they have neither residency nor right to reside. Also know people whose "residency" expired, because they couldn't get in to renew it!

Husker, so when I checked on insurance... if I opt out of cancellation coverage, when I go to the policy... it says no covid cancellation... I just have covid medical. Is that sufficient to get in, just having medical covid coverage.

Thanks.

Macaroni - I wasn't sure about that either, so just to check the box, I got the minimum trip cancellation coverage (I think I entered the trip cost as $500).

ok.. that makes sense.... thanks... now I just hope my trip will be a go in March....

Mac - Best of luck. We leave tomorrow. It should be very interesting as this will be the first day they open up. I will try and post here on TTOL our war stories.

Husker...PLEASE let us know how it goes and we will knight you SIR Guinea Pig of Mill Valley ( from your Sonoma neighbour).

Hi all. Just got some feedback from some guests trying to navigate the portal. Apparently they were have difficulties uploading their negative test results. When they shortened the file name (like 4 characters short) it allowed them to upload. No idea why, but thought this might be useful information to some here

Haha. Well, we made it. In the end, not too bad. The airport was pretty simple, we were out of there in about 30 minutes. However, they don't have the testing site at the airport completed, so they drive you down to a rando building near Nanny Cay (long drive) for the test. Then it was back to the marina and on the boat where we celebrated with gin and tonics. Our flight landed on Beef Is around 645pm and I think we got to our boat by 830 or 900. We are still being held at the marina. Apperantly the gov has not sorted out which anchorages are the designated Q areas.

More details as they develop.

Husker, out.

Husker, very helpful information. If you can keep it coming please do!

Any news on the tracking app/bracelets?

Bracelets and tracking things don't appear to work. Still trying to figure that part out.

Email me if you would like a copy of the approved Q'ing anchorages. Just issued in the last hour. We still have not been approved to leave base....pending test results.

clloyd309@gmail.com

Maybe someone can scan and post the list.

Hope you get out on the water soon, Husker.

Husker--email it to me at chill@info-res.com

Don't appear to work as in the Government doesn't have them at all or they're just not functional?

Here's the image.

I don't own a cell phone - wonder if that is a problem?

The government has in the past stated that a smartphone was a requirement but the reports I'm seeing on facebook indicate they aren't actually installing an app on people's phones they are just giving the tracking bracelet. The bracelets so far have not required a phone; they contain their own sim card.

I would try to email the SteerCo and ask that question.

Most of those "quarantine" harbors don't have mooring balls, which is gonna be a problem for a lot of people who aren't comfortable anchoring.

And they wouldn't be on my itinerary under normal conditions. I guess that leaves the best anchorages for last.

I would guess a lot of them are redlined.

Of those 14 listed, which would you suggest if the "Christmas Winds" are blowing or North swells? We are arriving 23-Dec. Are there mooring balls at any of those locations? I think even Cooper it's just South of the mooring field.

Not Lee Bay.

As best I can tell, only Malone Bay has mooring balls. This should be interesting.

Can someone correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Malone Bay really what we all refer to as Leverick Bay?

Technically, I think Malone Bay is west of the Leverick mooring field, but who knows.

That would make more sense to me. Google has Leverick Bay to the East but I'd guess it's wrong. I think that's technically Little Leverick.

Little Leverick is to the east around the point from Leverick.

Correct according to chart.

brewerfg - (Regarding north swell safe anchorages on the list) only the North Sound anchorage at Malone Bay and Manchioneel Bay are safe from the swell.

We were finally released to leave the marina around 4:00pm yesterday. Sailed to Whites Bay on Peter is and anchored with 3 other boats. Great excitement at the marina as we were leaving....being the first boats out since the CV19 lockdown. I'm so glad we stuck this out. Many times over the last couple months we almost cancelled the trip.

Side note: The silly-[censored] tracking devices do not seem to work. They beep constantly. Finally just turned them off. Fingers crossed this doesn't become an issue for us.

We were instructed to return to a testing site on Day 5 (Sunday) for the 2nd PCR test.

Husker
Abby Normal To
Peter Island, BVI

Thanks for the great updates...

Based on the approved anchorages, it doesn't seem like any are close to testing sites. Where did they tell you to go?

Why aren't they doing your test on Day 4? Now you won't be released until Day 6.

Yes, Jason, that was our question too. The woman who called me said Day 5. I pressed on this. She said we have to complete 4 full days of Q'ing before the second test. An extra day of sailing around and staying in lovely anchorages, I can live with that. This would have been a bigger deal for us if we only had a week for the trip.

Not sure yet on locations for testing. Rumor is: Spanish Town, Jost, in addition to Tortola (which I assume will the the Sea Cow site until the airport facility is ready). I'm quite sure we won't know until the 11th hour....par for the course here.

BTW, are you the Jason from Coconut Breezes?

Husker, out.

Yep. Owner/manager at Coconut Breeze Villas. We are listed as a sponsor here as Agape Cottages (the old name) but will be updating our banner soon to reflect Coconut Breeze Villas.

Husker, they are definitely doing testing at the clinic in Spanish Town. I know this because I got tested there myself. Hope that helps. Also, thanks for all the great information you've been incredibly helpful.

As for getting tested on Day 5, I attached a photo from the BVI Government that I hope makes the testing timeline a bit more clear.