Known as the “Nature Isle of the Caribbean,” Dominica, which reopened its borders on July 15, 2020, is already welcoming international travelers since August 7, 2020.
The Commonwealth of Dominica recently participated in the CARICOM Travel Bubble that places Dominica as an attractive destination for regional travelers. The bubble comprises of eight other islands: Anguilla, Montserrat, St Kitts, and Nevis, Grenada, St Lucia, Barbados, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Antigua and Barbuda.
The travel bubble enables travelers from nations that have effectively tackled the spread of the COVID-19 virus to visit Dominica easier. The pre-arrival requirement to undertake the PCR Test within 72 hours is absent and thus allow travelers from the CARICOM Travel Bubble greater ability and flexibility in making plans to book a trip.
A number of Dominica’s leading hotels have reopened to coincide with the tourism relaunch.
Secret Bay Hotel in Portsmouth, Dominica
TRAVEL PROTOCOLS FOR ENTRY INTO DOMINICA
General protocols and guidelines upon arrival:
1. Travellers are required to wear face masks at all times during the arrival process up to and including departure from the airport.
2. Travellers must observe physical distancing.
3. Travellers must practice good respiratory etiquette and personal sanitization.
4. Travellers must follow all instructions of health care staff and officials.
Children under five years of age will not be subject to testing, however, all children under 5 years old belonging to family cluster cases will be subjected to PCR testing on advice of the Medical professionals.
COVID Risk Classification by Country
Travellers from within any classification must have travelled directly from the country of origin and have been in that country/ territory for at least 21 – days prior to arrival. If in transit countries are not within the same classification, the classification of the country with the highest risk will apply.
| RISK CLASSIFICATION | COUNTRY |
| CARICOM TRAVEL BUBBLE | Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, St. Vincent and Grenadines, St. Lucia, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, Montserrat, Anguilla |
| LOW RISK | Norway, Finland, Iceland, New Zealand, Curacao, Bermuda, BVI, Cayman Islands, Greenland |
| MEDIUM RISK | Canada, Sweden, Italy, Singapore, Nigeria, Switzerland, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Belize, Turks and Caicos Islands |
| HIGH RISK | United States, Brazil, India, Haiti, Russia, South Africa, Peru, Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Spain, Iran, France, United Kingdom, Germany, Argentina, Japan, Dominican Republic Ecuador, Bolivia, Panama, Aruba, Suriname, Sint Maarten and Saint Martin, Guadeloupe, Martinique |
All countries not listed will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis upon directives from the Ministry of Health, Wellness and New Health Investment.
TRAVEL PROTOCOLS FOR COUNTRIES WITHIN THE CARICOM TRAVEL BUBBLE
Protocols for Pre-Arrival
- Submit a health questionnaire online at least 24 hours prior to arrival in Dominica
- Travellers must present notification of health clearance to travel to airlines prior to boarding and upon disembarkation in Dominica.
Disembarkation and Testing:
Travellers will:
- be required to sanitize their hands at sanitization stations as directed;
- be required to undergo a health assessment to include a temperature check;
- be required to undertake a Rapid Diagnostic Test, and subject to a negative test result, the following will apply:
- Travellers will be conveyed to Immigration for processing and to Customs for screening.
- Luggage to be sanitized upon arrival at airport when taken off conveyor belt.
Upon clearance from the port, travellers from countries within the CARICOM Travel Bubble must adhere to the following:
1. Submit to scheduled and unscheduled checks by medical professionals
TRAVEL PROTOCOLS FOR LOW-RISK COUNTRIES
Protocols for Pre-Arrival:
Compulsory requirements for all arriving travellers. All travellers must:
- Submit a health questionnaire online at least 24 hours prior to arrival in Dominica
- Upload a negative PCR test result where samples were obtained within 24-72 hours prior to arrival.
- Travellers must present the following to airlines prior to boarding and upon disembarkation in Dominica:
- Negative PCR test result where samples were obtained within 24-72 hours prior to arrival.
- Notification of health clearance to travel.
Disembarkation and Testing:
Travellers will:
- be required to sanitize their hands at sanitization stations as directed.
- be required to undergo a health assessment to include a temperature check.
- provide confirmation of the health questionnaire and negative PCR test results.
- be required to undertake a Rapid Diagnostic Test, and subject to a negative test result, the following will apply:
- Travellers will be conveyed to Immigration for processing and to Customs for screening.
- Luggage to be sanitized upon arrival at airport when taken off conveyor belt.
Upon clearance from the port, travellers from low-risk countries must adhere to the following:
- Travellers will be monitored* for seven (7) days at their place of residence.
- All travellers must submit to scheduled and unscheduled checks by medical professionals.
*Monitoring is defined as interviews and assessments (in person and via telephone) by Public Health Professionals.
Should circumstances arise during the period of monitoring, travellers may be required to undergo PCR testing
TRAVEL PROTOCOLS FOR MEDIUM- RISK COUNTRIES
Protocols for Pre-Arrival
Compulsory requirements for all arriving travellers.
All travellers must:
- Submit a health questionnaire online at least 24 hours prior to arrival in Dominica
- Upload a negative PCR test result where samples were obtained within 24-72 hours prior to arrival.
- Travellers must present the following to airlines prior to boarding and upon disembarkation in Dominica:
- Negative PCR test result where samples were obtained within 24-72 hours prior to arrival.
- Notification of health clearance to travel.
Disembarkation and Testing:
Travellers will:
- be required to sanitize their hands at sanitization stations as directed.
- be required to undergo a health assessment to include a temperature check.
- provide confirmation of the health questionnaire and negative PCR test results.
- be required to undertake a Rapid Diagnostic Test, and subject to a negative test result, the following will apply:
- Travellers will be conveyed to Immigration for
- processing and to Customs for screening.
- Luggage to be sanitized upon arrival at airport when taken off conveyor belt.
Upon clearance from the port, travellers from medium risk countries must adhere to the following:
- Traveller will be monitored for 14-days at their place of residence
- Optional to 14- day monitoring, a PCR test can be done on day 5. If the result is negative, there will be no further monitoring at their place of residence.
- All travellers must submit to scheduled and unscheduled checks by medical professionals.
PROTOCOLS FOR TRAVELLERS FROM HIGH RISK COUNTRIES
Protocols for Pre-Arrival
Compulsory requirements for all arriving travellers. All travellers must:
- Submit a health questionnaire online at least 24 hours prior to arrival in Dominica
- Upload a negative PCR test result where samples were obtained within 24-72 hours prior to arrival.
- Travellers must present the following to airlines prior to boarding and upon disembarkation in Dominica:
- Negative PCR test result where samples were obtained within 24-72 hours prior to arrival.
- Notification of health clearance to travel.
Disembarkation and Testing:
- Traveller will proceed to secondary screening area
- A Rapid Diagnostic Test will be administered on arrival
- If Rapid Test is positive, a PCR test will be administered immediately and traveller will await the results in a Government approved facility (at travellers expense).
- If Rapid Test is negative, traveller will be transported to mandatory quarantine at a Government operated quarantine facility or Government-certified private property for a minimum of 5 days
- A PCR test will be administered to the traveller on Day 5 after arrival.
- If the result of the PCR test done on Day 5 is positive, traveller will be admitted to COVID Isolation Unit until released by an authorized Health Professional. Hospital fees will apply.
- If the result of the PCR test done on Day 5 is negative, traveller will be deemed medically cleared at the discretion of medical officials.
- Payments are to be made upon arrival at Government operated Quarantine facility or COVID isolation unit. All testing and quarantine fees are illustrated in the matrix below.
| TEST OR SERVICE | Cost XCD | Cost USD |
| PCR test | $100 | $40 |
| First night Quarantine Fee | $400 | $150 |
| Each additional night at Quarantine | $225 | $90 |
| Meals – Breakfast | $15 | $6 |
| Meals – Lunch | $20 | $8 |
| Meals – Dinner | $20 | $8 |
*COVID Isolation Unit Hospital Fees will apply ifyour cases require such.
5. All travellers must submit to scheduled and unscheduled checks by medical professionals.
IF ANY TRAVELLER HAS HIGH TEMPERATURE, HIGH RISK ALERT FROM QUESTIONNAIRE OR POSITIVE RAPID TEST
- Traveller will proceed to secondary screening area
- A PCR test will be administered to the traveller. (The cost of the PCR Test is XCD$100 or U5$40 per test)
- Traveller will be transported to mandatory quarantine at a Government approved facility at traveller’s expense, awaiting PCR results.
- if the PCR test result is positive, traveller will be admitted to COVID Isolation Unit until released by an authorized Health Professional. Hospital fees will apply.
- If the test result is negative,
- Asymptomatic: traveller will be monitored for the remainder of 14-days at their place of residence and submit to scheduled and unscheduled checks by medical professionals.
- Symptomatic: traveller will be placed on self-quarantine for three (3) days at their place of residence, after which they will be monitored for the remainder of 14-days and submit to scheduled and unscheduled checks by medical professionals.
Penalties according to the Laws of the Commonwealth of Dominica will be levied to any traveller committing an offense.
DEPARTURE FROM DOMINICA
Travellers must be aware of the testing protocols of their final destination and the countries through which they will transit.
Process for obtaining a PCR Test to leave Country
- Call 611-3905 to make an appointment.
- Obtain a requisition from the District Medical Officer.
- Pay for the test at accounts department in Dominica China Friendship Hospital.
- Present receipt to secretary at office of Primary Health Care Services.
- Have test done at Roseau Health Centre.
- Anticipate at least 48 hours before results are available.
- Vehicles will only be permitted to enter the air and seaport with the driver and persons due to travel.
- Travellers must wear face masks at all times during the departure process until departure from airport.
- Travellers must observe physical distancing.
- Travellers should practice good respiratory and personal sanitization.
- Follow instructions of health care staff and officials.
