Turks and Caicos Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

Update 24 March

The COVID-19 vaccine requirement for visitors will be dropped, effective from 1 April 2023.

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Visiting Requirements

The beautiful Half Moon Bay beach and lagoon near Providenciales.

All travelers aged 18 and above must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to enter the Turks and Caicos. The requirement for pre-travel authorization (TCI Assured) is no longer required. The requirement for travel insurance and a negative COVID-19 test has also been dropped. Your vaccination status will be checked by your airline at check-in and on arrival in the Turks and Caicos by immigration officials.

For questions about exemptions to mandatory vaccination, please email vaccineexemptions@gov.tc.

Current COVID-19 Restrictions

The Turks and Caicos is open for tourism. Most COVID-19 restrictions have been dropped, apart from the requirement that visitors are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to enter the islands.

• Masks are no longer required anywhere.
• There are no restrictions on inter-island travel.
• Restaurants and bars are open and capacity restrictions have been lifted.

What does fully vaccinated mean?

Fully vaccinated means 14 days after receiving the second dose of any World Health Organization (WHO) approved vaccine course (or 14 days after the first dose if a single dose course such as the Janssen/Johnson & Johnson vaccine). The list of WHO-approved vaccines includes the following:

• Moderna (mRNA-1273) - Spikevax
• Pfizer/BioNTech (BNT162b2) - Comirnaty
• Janssen/Johnson & Johnson (Ad26.COV2.S)
• AstraZeneca (AZD1222) - Vaxzevria
• Covishield (AstraZeneca)
• Novavax (NVX-CoV2373) (includes COVOVAX)
• Covaxin
• Sinopharm Vero Cells (BBiBP-CorV)
• Sinovac CoronaVac

You must have received your final dose of an approved vaccine course at least 14 days prior to arrival or entry will be denied.

Vaccine Boosters Not Required

Booster shots of a vaccine course are not required.

Proof of Vaccination

Proof of vaccination is either a digital or paper record, shown to your airline at check-in and upon arrival. Acceptable forms are:

• E-certificate/digital certificate (such as those from CVS, Walgreens, or the NHS).
• Certification issued by a doctor or government entity.
• Vaccination cards/certificates accepted by national authorities.
• A letter signed by a medical professional (physician or registered nurse) on official letterhead with contact details. Doctor's registration or license number should be included with details of the first and second dose (date, country and vaccine you received).
• Authorized government entity record or printed record from an electronic vaccination database.

Exemptions to Mandatory Vaccination

The following persons are exempt from requiring a COVID-19 vaccine:

• Residents of the islands.
• Visitors under the age of 18.
• Visitors who are not able to take a COVID-19 vaccine due to medical reasons. However, written and signed proof from a medical professional clearly stating that they are medically exempted from taking the vaccine is required. Persons seeking a medical exemption must send a request with all supporting documentation to vaccineexemptions@gov.tc 2 weeks prior to travel. This is in order to allow sufficient review by the Government.
• Crew members of a cargo/commercial aircraft or cargo ship arriving for work and expected to remain for less than 24 hours.
• Crew members of air ambulances, which includes any medical personnel on board.
• Persons offering to provide emergency aid in times of crisis.
• Persons who have written permission from the Chief Medical Officer.
• Persons who are in transit at the airport, or for purposes of connecting flights.

Please note that there are no exemptions to the vaccination requirement for religious reasons.

Details on the COVID-19 Test Required for Entry

You no longer require a COVID-19 test to enter the islands.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is no longer required.

FAQs

• Do I need a COVID-19 test to enter? No, this requirement was lifted on 1 May 2022.
• Are visitors tested upon arrival? No.
• My country or state requires a COVID-19 test to return. Can I get a COVID-19 test in the Turks and Caicos? Yes, tests are widely available in the Turks and Caicos. Many hotels and resorts offer free testing, and for others it is $50 per person. See the section below on Turks and Caicos COVID-19 testing locations.
• Is there any quarantine requirement? No, there is no quarantine requirement for visitors.
• Is there any follow-up COVID-19 test, such as at 5 days as in other Caribbean countries? No, there are no additional COVID-19 tests. Once you are granted entry, visitors are allowed to stay for 90 days (which can be renewed for another 90 days).
• Is there any curfew? No, the curfew was lifted on all islands effective from 1 December 2021.
• Are restaurants open? Yes, all restaurants and bars are permitted to operate.
• Are there restrictions on where tourists can travel? No, there are no restrictions on where tourists can visit.
• Can I visit the family islands, including on a day trip? Yes, tourists can visit family islands. No travel authorization is needed.
• Are there any other special entry requirements? All visitors aged 18 and above must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Current COVID-19 Statistics

Case count last updated 11 March 2023. The numbers in parentheses are the increase/decrease of the previous week.

Total number of COVID-19 cases: 6,562 (+1)

Current number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients: 1 (+1)

Number of COVID-19 related deaths: 38 (+0)

Where to get a local COVID-19 test?

There are three labs in the Turks and Caicos which offer COVID-19 PCR testing, and many resorts and other locations offer antigen testing. ACCU Diagnostics offers the RT-PCR test and can provide results in as little as a few hours.

Several hotels and resorts offer on-site antigen testing, and antigen tests are available for non-guests for $50 per person at many resort testing locations.

COVID-19 Status and Updates

Inter-island Travel

Travel between islands, including for tourism purposes, is now permitted. Local domestic inter-island travel no longer requires authorization.

Flights

The airport is open (opened on 22 July 2020). For more information and route information, contact your airline or travel agent.

No Lockdown or Quarantine

There is no lockdown in the Turks and Caicos. There is no curfew.

The beaches and snorkeling reefs in the Turks and Caicos are open.

Photo from April 2020. At the start of the pandemic, grocery stores in the Turks and Caicos limited the number of persons in-store to reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19).

The Providenciales International Airport Is Open

The Providenciales International Airport (PLS) is open for international passenger travel (along with all other airports in the country).

Resort and Hotel Openings

Hotels and resorts are open.

Grocery Stores Are Open

Grocery stores on Providenciales are open with normal stock.

Cruises have Resumed

Cruises to the Turks and Caicos have resumed. All cruises arrive at the Grand Turk Cruise Center.

Restrictions on Hospital Visits

There are restrictions in place for some visitors to the Cheshire Hall Medical Centre and Cockburn Town Medical Centre, to reduce the risk of transmitting COVID-19 to vulnerable persons. Please contact the Ministry of Health and the Hospital directly for up-to-date information.

Events have Resumed

Events have resumed, including the weekly Thursday Fish Fry, which resumed on 21 April 2022.

Things to Do, Attractions, and Activities

Most boat charters, sunset cruises, water sports, the golf course, spas, and family and wedding photographers are open. Historical and natural attractions that require an entrance fee are typically open via appointment.

Car rental is widely available and unaffected in the Turks and Caicos.

Secluded beach in the Turks and Caicos.