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Covid-19 Testing Requirements

Last updated: July 12th, 2021 history

  • Jul 12, 2021 - Announced vaccination for travel option
  • Mar 17, 2021 - Update for South-African and Peruvian travel restrictions.
  • Jan 23, 2021 - Updated Brazil travel restrictions. Clarification on testing requirements: Abbott ID NOW, languages and inauthenticity
  • Dec 4 - Added policy for those who have recently recovered from COVID-19
  • Nov 30 - Clarification on the Venezuela and Peru entry requirements
  • Nov 20 - Residents of Curaçao now require testing (testing exemption revoked, insurance exemption remains valid)
  • Nov 11 - JetBlue testing partnership
  • Nov 4, 2020 - Cleanup of measures that are no longer in place since Nov 1, updated Bonaire and Curacao exemptions.
  • Oct 27, 2020 - Phasing out of state testing requirements
  • Oct 7, 2020 - Removed requirements applicable for those traveling before Sept 24
  • Sept 16, 2020 - Included upcoming state requiremen changes
  • Sept 10, 2020 - Removed airport temperature screening
  • Sept 3, 2020 - Clarified ddPCR and Abbott BinaxNOW
  • Aug 22, 2020 - Clarified combined nasal/oral requirement

As part of Aruba's Traveler Health Requirement, the Government of Aruba requires all visitors to undergo a Molecular SARS-CoV-2 test based on a nasal swab before entering Aruba.

Children aged 14 and under are exempt.

New: Alternatively certain eligible travelers who meet the requirements may provide proof of vacinnation instead of testing. Read the complete details on this COVID-19 Vaccination for Travel page.

Recently recovered from COVID-19? See our Health & Testing FAQ.

Your Options

Fill out the following fields to see what options are available to you:

My permanent residence is in:

Travelers residing in have the following options:

  1. Your country is not on the list of permitted countries/regions:

    Travel to Aruba is not possible at this time. Please consult the Traveler Health Requirements page.

  2. Option 1: Molecular testing prior to travel to Aruba:

    ⭑⭑⭑ The recommended and encouraged option.

    • Test type: Molecular, read the requirements
    • When: Test needs to be taken between  72 to 12 hours before your departing flight to Aruba (last leg of the trip)
    • Quarantine on arrival: No. Provided no symptoms are shown upon arrival in Aruba, requiring the visitor to take an additional test in Aruba.
    • Test provider: Your own choice, find a provider
    • Your Cost: Variable, ask your provider
    • Test results: Ask your provider
    • How: Upload your lab results as part of the online ED Card process.

  3. Option 2: Molecular PCR testing at the airport in Aruba:

    ⭑⭑⭒ If you're unable to get tested prior to travel to Aruba.

    • Test type: Molecular PCR
    • When: Upon arrival in Aruba
    • Quarantine on arrival: At your place of stay until test results are received. Typically, between 6 and 8 hours for the Regular test. Read more about quarantine on arrival.
    • Test provider: Dr. Horacio E. Oduber Hospital Aruba (special airport facility)
    • Your Cost: Regular test: $75 (USD) or Rapid test: $150 (upon availability)
    • Test results: Via the Aruba Health App & via email
    • How: Prepay for the test as part of the online ED Card process.

  4. Option 2: Molecular PCR testing at the airport in Aruba:

    This option is not available for your state.

  5. Option 3: Testing prior to travel and an additional PCR test at the airport in Aruba:

    ⭑⭒⭒ You are traveling from a designated high-risk area, an extra test is required before you have the option to test in Aruba.

    • Test type: COVID-19 (read the requirements) + Molecular PCR
    • When: COVID-19 test needs to be taken between 72 to 12 hours before your departing flight to Aruba (last leg of the trip) + Molecular PCR test needs to be taken upon arrival in Aruba
    • Quarantine on arrival: Yes. At your place of stay until test results are received. Typically, between 6 and 8 hours. Read more about quarantine on arrival.
    • Test provider: COVID-19: Your own choice, find a provider + Molecular PCR: Dr. Horacio E. Oduber Hospital Aruba (special airport facility)
    • Your Cost: COVID-19: Variable (ask your provider) + Molecular PCR: Dr. Horacio E. Oduber Hospital, Aruba (special airport facility) : $75 (USD)
    • How: Upload your COVID-19 test results 12 hours before your departing flight to Aruba (last leg of the trip) and pay for the Molecular PCR test upon arrival in Aruba.

  6. Bonaire:


    Visitors residing in Bonaire are required to complete the ED online process (Personal Information and Self-Health declaration) but are exempted from testing and the Aruba Visitors Insurance.

Molecular Test requirements

Only For Option 1: Molecular testing prior to travel to Aruba

The Government of Aruba requires the test to be a COVID-19 test, obtained from a nasal swab specimen through amplified Molecular testing performed by a certified lab, and the results need to be uploaded as part of the ED card process.

Your lab results need to be in English, Dutch or Spanish, and list:

  • Your name, as it appears on passport
  • Date the test was collected
  • "COVID-19", "SARS-CoV-2" or "Coronavirus"
  • The type of Molecular test or Molecular test brand name (see below)
  • How the test was taken: "Nasal", "Nasopharyngeal", "Mid-turbinate", "Combined Oral/Nasal", or "Combined Oral/Nasopharyngeal", or "Combined Oral/Mid-turbinate" swab
  • Your test result: "Negative"

Tests that are accepted:
Accepted Molecular test types:

  • PCR / RT-PCR / ddPCR / Rapid PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction)
  • NAA / NAAT (Nucleic Acid Amplification)
  • AMP PRB (Amplified Probe)
  • LAMP (Loop-mediated Isothermal Amplification)
  • TMA (Transcription-mediated Amplification)

Accepted Molecular test brands, such as, but not limited to:

  • Abbott ID NOW - Only when results include the original thermal receipt / sticker, or results are verifiable through an email or patient portal.
  • Quidel Lyra PCR
  • Abbott Realtime PCR
  • Cobas Qualitative PCR
  • FTD PCR
  • Xpert Xpress
  • Simplexa Direct PCR
  • Vault Health

Tests that are not accepted:

  • Any at-home kits or self administered tests (the sample needs to be collected by licensed medical staff)
    • With the exception of Vault Health
  • Any test that does not rely on a nasal swab, such as:
    • Sputum, saliva and spit collection (spit in a cup, etc)
    • Gargle, oral rinse, etc
    • Oral swab without a nasal swab
    • With the exception of Vault Health
  • All Antigen (Ag) tests (including Quidel Sophia, Abbott BinaxNOW and Rapid Antigen Tests)
  • All Antibody tests (such as IgG, IgA, IgM and Rapid Antibody Tests)
  • All blood tests (such as fingerstick, venipuncture)
  • All plasma tests
  • All serum tests
  • All lateral flow tests
  • All fever checks
  • All temperature checks
  • Any Doctor's note

Upload any of these, or an inauthentic test result, you will be required to retake the PCR test on arrival at the Airport at your expense.

 

New: Fast-lanes for JetBlue travelers using the CommonPass digital health pass platform. Read all about CommonPass here.

If you have any questions, check the Frequently Asked Questions at end of this page, or contact us via support@aruba.com

HTML Component - cvd-locations.html

Testing locations

Disclaimer: We're unable to provide a complete list of up-to-date testing locations that match Aruba's requirements. We recommend you contact a physician, private clinic or lab in your area. Verify that the test they offer you matches the requirements set forth above.

State Resources

 

Third-party resources:

Search on TestforTravel: Testing Centers Near You

Search on Google Maps: Testing Centers Near You

Or check with your State Health department: State Health Department

U.S. “Hot Spot” States

IMPORTANT UPDATE: Beginning November 1, 2020, the classification of U.S. “hot spot” states will no longer be in effect. As such, as part of the required online Embarkation/ Disembarkation card process, residents of all 50 states will now have the option to take a PCR based Molecular COVID-19 test upon arrival at the airport in Aruba as well as the option to provide a certified negative test result prior to travel to Aruba.

Please continue to check the Traveler Health Requirements page for updates closer to your travel date.

Testing facilities in Aruba for return flight requirements

As part of their pandemic travel protocols, some countries/states/ cities now require travelers show a negative COVID-19 test result to be granted re-entry to their country of origin. Aruba has all necessary testing facilities and procedures are in place for visitors. For a list of COVID-19 testing facilities in Aruba, click here. 

IMPORTANT UPDATE FOR U.S. VISITORS: Effective January 26th, 2021, as announced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. government will require all international airline passengers to show proof of a negative, PCR or Antigen, Covid-19 test before boarding flights to the United States. In addition, the results of the test must be from no more than 72 hours prior to departure. For the official CDC announcement, click here. 

Health & Testing FAQ

What is a self-health declaration?
It is part of the ED card process and should be submitted 72 hours prior to travel to Aruba. This declaration must include truthful answers and consists of the following questions:
• Have you (or the person for whom you completed this form) been suspected diagnosed with pneumonia or the COVID-19 infection within the past 14 days?
• Did you (or the person for whom you completed this form) have any of the following symptoms in the past 24 hours: fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, or loss of smell/taste?
• Have you been in quarantine within the past 14 days?
• Have you had any close contact (less than 2 meters or 6 feet) for more than 15 minutes with a probable or confirmed COVID-19-infected person within the past 14 days, including persons in quarantine or isolation?

Consult edcardaruba.aw for the most up to date list of questions.
Can I take any type of COVID-19 test prior to travel as part of the ED card process?
No, only a specific list of test types are accepted for entry. You can find this complete list on https://www.aruba.com/testing
What is a PCR test?
PCR stands for polymerase chain reaction and is used to detect the presence of COVID-19 in an individual. It is the recommended method for the identification and laboratory confirmation of COVID-19 cases according to the World Health Organization.
Can COVID-19 antibody test results be used as a replacement for a PCR test?
An antibody test cannot be used as a replacement for a PCR test, as antibody tests do not reflect whether a person is currently infected with COVID-19. See www.aruba.com/testing for the list of accepted tests.
Why is Aruba requesting that travelers upload a certified negative COVID-19 test result within 72 to 12 hours of traveling to the island?
We are requiring a negative test to minimize the chances of an individual contracting the virus ahead of travel to Aruba. This is for the safety of Aruba’s visitors and local community. Any Covid-19 testing done prior to travel to Aruba must show a certified negative test result conducted within 3 days of your departure flight to Aruba (the last leg of your trip). The negative test results must then be uploaded as part of the ED card process no later than 12 hours prior to your departing flight to Aruba (the last leg of your trip).
If I've recovered from COVID-19 recently, how can I provide a negative COVID-19 test result?
Due to the fact that COVID-19 can show residual traces many weeks later in those who have tested positive, yet they show no symptoms and are likely not infectious, the Aruban government has implemented a specific policy.

Those visitors 15 and older, who have tested positive using a Molecular COVID-19 test by nasopharyngeal swab between 2 weeks and 12 weeks prior to their travel date to Aruba, and do not show any symptoms, will be exempt from the requirement of providing a negative COVID-19 test result for entry to Aruba.

As part of the mandatory online Embarkation/Disembarkation Card process, these visitors will, however, be required to upload proof of their positive Molecular COVID-19 by nasopharyngeal swab test result taken between 2 and 12 weeks prior to their travel date to Aruba.

Note: This exemption does not apply for anyone who has had a positive COVID-19 test older than 12 weeks, or anyone who is not able to provide proof in the form of a Molecular COVID-19 by nasopharyngeal swab test result. Some examples of accepted Molecular COVID-19 tests are: PCR by nasopharyngeal swab, NAAT by nasopharyngeal swab, TMA by nasopharyngeal swab, etc. Some examples of tests that are not accepted are: Antigen, Antibody, blood tests, etc.
Do children need to be tested as well?
Children 14 and under are not required to take or submit any test.
If taking the PCR test in Aruba, are we quarantined to our room in the hotel or just the hotel? Can we still go to facilities in the hotel such as the beach and pool?
If your test was administered on the island upon arrival, you are required to quarantine in your room at your booked accommodation until you receive your test result. The quarantine will be up to 24 hours and the Aruba Department of Health will make every effort to have as quickly as possible, in order to minimize visitors’ time in quarantine. Visitors are required to stay in their rooms to ensure the safety of fellow guests and Arubans.
If I tested positive while in Aruba, do I need to test negative before I can return to my country?
Yes. If you test positive, you must remain in isolation until declared recovered.
If I have received the COVID-19 vaccine, do I need to go through the testing and entry requirements? Will this change in the future?
To ensure the safety of other travelers, Aruba continues to require that all travelers follow the current protocol, which includes testing either prior to travel or upon arrival at the airport. New: Alternatively certain eligible travelers who meet the requirements may provide proof of vacinnation instead of testing. Read the complete details on this COVID-19 Vaccination for Travel page https://www.aruba.com/us/traveler-health-requirements/vaccine-for-travel .
Can I test positive and be placed in quarantine even though I'm vaccinated?
According to the CDC (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/facts.html), "Neither the recently authorized and recommended vaccines nor the other COVID-19 vaccines currently in clinical trials in the U.S. can cause you to test positive on viral tests which are used to see if you have a current infection." For Aruba’s testing protocols, visit https://www.aruba.com/us/traveler-health-requirements .
Has or will Aruba receive doses of the vaccine?
Aruba received its first shipment of vaccines on February 16 and the first group of people, which consisted of front liners, helped kick off the first day of vaccinations in Aruba on February 17. Aruba is hopeful our entire community can be vaccinated by Summer 2021.

This information is subject to change at the discretion of the Government of Aruba. The preceding information reflects the most up-to-date information as it pertains to Aruba’s reopening protocols and procedures. Aruba’s health and safety protocols will be revisited and reevaluated on an ongoing basis. Based on the ever-changing situation, we recommend that all visitors check Aruba.com frequently for any changes to dates, markets, required procedures and more. 

If you have any unanswered questions, please feel free to email us directly at support@aruba.com.