Covid 19: Traveling to St Barts (Updated October 25th 2022)
Stay Update with your next travel to St Barts …
Last updated 10-25-22
Entering St. Barth
All Covid-19 entry protocols for St. Barth have been lifted at this time. It is the individual traveler’s responsibility to check the requirements of any airport they may pass through when connecting to St. Barth.
If you are connecting via St. Martin their individual testing requirements which may be reviewed here.
If you are connecting via San Juan their individual vaccination or testing requirements which may be reviewed here.
Haute Retreats looks forward to welcoming you back for your Dream Vacation. See you soon.
Travel News updates for March 2nd, 2022:
Connecting airport requirements. It is the individual traveler’s responsibility to check the requirements of each location.
If you are connecting via St. Martin all travelers must complete their pre-arrival travel declaration form within 72 hours of arrival in St Martin (required in both directions) AND must adhere to their individual vaccination or testing requirements which may be reviewed here.
If you are connecting via San Juan you adhere to their individual vaccination or testing requirements which may be reviewed here.
Entering St. Barth
All visitors (age 18+ OR Children between 12 to 17 years of age that are traveling alone) may enter with proof of FULL vaccination performed at least 2 weeks prior to arrival, and you must present a negative Covid-19 PCR test OR a Covid-19 Antigen test administered within 48 hours (2 days) of your originating flight. Children 12 to 17 are also required to present the same negative Covid-19 test. Only children under the age of 12 are exempt from testing. Please make a note: If transiting via St. Martin, regardless of the St. Martin entry requirements which may be less strict, you must adhere to what is required by St. Barth in order to enter St. Barth.
The only vaccines accepted are Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, and Johnson & Johnson. Full Vaccination is defined as 2 doses for Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca received at least 2 weeks before arrival and 1 dose for Johnson & Johnson received at least 4 weeks prior to arrival.
We highly recommend you purchase an approved home test which can be taken online under the supervision of a technician to verify the results. Sample websites to purchase tests are Emed, Qured, and Get Tested Now. All non-vaccinated visitors may only enter for a compelling reason (family, professional, medical) with pre-authorization.
St. Barth (SBH) departure (USA Citizens): Effective December 06, 2021, all travelers (age 2+) RETURNING to the UNITED STATES from an international destination will be required to show a negative Viral Covid-19 test (PCR or Antigen) ADMINISTERED 24 HOURS OR LESS before arrival back into the USA. Read the CDC announcement here. Guests are encouraged to arrive in St. Barth with their own CDC approved test kit, saving them the need to test locally. Below are online sources where you may purchase your own test kit prior to travel.
Testing while in St. Barth
Life in St. Barth: Restaurants, boutiques, public spaces, beaches and businesses are all open.
Per order of the French Government:
- A Sanitary Pass (France) or Proof of Full Vaccination is required to enter indoor spaces including Restaurants, Bars & Nightclubs. Non-Vaccinated persons must present a negative Covid-19 test.
- Masks are requested to enter shops, boutiques, grocery stores, office space, banks, etc.
FAQ:
Are there active cases of Covid-19 on St. Barth?
Yes. The situation is monitored very closely and strong protocols remain in place to control the possibility of new cases entering the island or spreading locally.
Are restaurants, boutiques, and businesses open?
Yes. Restaurants are promoting social distancing and may limit the number of persons allowed at each table. Masks are required when not seated at your table.
Are masks required?
Yes. In accordance with announcements made by Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, a mask is encouraged when social distancing is not possible and is required on busy streets and when entering indoor establishments such as shops, grocery stores, banks etc. For restaurants, guests may remove them while seated at their table and are asked to keep them on when entering or moving about.
Are beaches open?
Yes. All beaches are open with no restrictions. Masks are NOT required on beaches. Social distancing is encouraged.
Travel news updates for January 20, 2022:
- St Barts Vaccination Requirements:
- All travelers 18 and older must provide proof of full vaccination (CDC card) to enter St Barts.
- Travelers under 18 are not required to provide proof of vaccination
- The World Health Organization (WHO) and FDA agree that a person is “FULLY vaccinated” once 14 days have passed since their second shot (for two shot vaccines). In the case of a one shot vaccine, 21 days need to have passed for a traveler to be considered “fully vaccinated.
- St Barts Covid Testing Requirements:
- All travelers 12 and older are required to provide a negative ANTIGEN or PCR result
- Antigen and PCR test must be no older than 48 hours at the time when you board the flight into St Barts. However, residents of the UK must provide a test result that is no more than 24 hours old.
- Children under 12 are not required to provide test results, however it is a good idea to get tested when traveling.
- If traveling via St Martin, pre-registration and uploading of test results is required 24 hours prior to arrival in St Martin. Please note that St Martin will not accept self-administered at home antigen tests – visit EHAS to submit an application
- St Barts Passport Requirements
- A valid passport is required.
- No visa is required to enter St Barts if you are a citizen of the US, Canada, any EU country, and most of Central and South America. Not sure if you need a visa to enter French St Barts? Use this French government search tool to determine if you need a visa to enter St Barts
- Travelers entering/returning to the US are required to present a negative covid test (antigen or pcr) taken no more than one day prior to arrival. Effective December 6, 2021.
Covid protection measures on-island: Proof of vaccination and/or proof of a recent negative covid test is required to enter all restaurants and bars. Travelers can show their CDC cards at the door (actual card or a photo of it)
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Effective Tuesday, December 28, 2022 – You are getting this email because you are either scheduled to arrive in St Barts soon, or you are a travel agent who has a client arriving soon.The regional government that oversees St Barts has issued a new testing requirement for people traveling to St Barts. Travelers are now asked to provide a negative result from a test taken no more than 24 hours prior to boarding their flight into StBarts from St Martin, San Juan or Antigua. (See official communique below).
For example:
If you are scheduled to board your inter-island flight to St Barts at 4 pm, you will need to schedule a rapid antigen test for no earlier than 4 pm the prior day.
We understand that this will create some challenges for you, however, the local government is holding firm to these terms so the best we can do is provide you with the information in advance so you can plan accordingly. One option that could make meeting the new requirements easier is to purchase an at-home test. Here are some products to consider:
https://gettestednow.com/
https://www.emed.com/products/
October 19th 2021 Update:
| As of September 23, 2021, the following requirements have been put in place for all visitors to St. Barths: | ||||||
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All travelers must provide the following two items to enter St. Barths:
2. All travelers 10 and older are required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test, from no more than 3 days prior to arrival. Alternatively, you can provide results from an antigen test from no more than 2 days prior to arrival. |
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| Children under 10 are not required to provide test results, however, it is a good idea to get tested when traveling. For travel testing advice, read covid test scheduling tips. | ||||||
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If you are NOT vaccinated
Travelers 18 and older who are not vaccinated cannot enter St. Barths. |
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Alternatives – Destinations that do not require proof of vaccination
If there is an adult in your group who will be unvaccinated at the time of travel, then we should look at other vacation destinations where proof of vaccination is not required. This includes Jamaica, Mustique, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, the USVI, and our Rocky Mountain ski destinations. |
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June 9th 2021 Update:
The French government authorized St. Barts to reopen its borders to fully vaccinated U.S. travelers, effective June 9, the same day that France reopens its borders.
Visitors to St. Barts must provide proof of full vaccination, plus proof of a negative PCR test done within three days of arrival or an antigen test result taken within 48 hours. Visitors under 18 do not need proof of vaccination, and those below the age of five are not subject to testing.
Visitors to St. Barts who transit through St. Maarten or San Juan must follow the entry procedures for those destinations, as well.
If you are traveling to St. Barths through St Martin, even if you are not spending a night in St Martin, travelers will need to pre-register to enter St Martin airport. The online form is called EHAS (Electronic Health Authorization System). To complete it you will need the results of your PCR test. There is a $30 fee associated with this which covers mandatory travel insurance.
Please note: When returning home via St Martin you will also be required to submit a request via EHAS to enter St Martin, although no additional testing is required.
No quarantine or self-isolation will be necessary once visitors are on St. Barts, and no Covid test will be required during their stay except the test to enter the U.S., according to Nils Dufau, president of the Tourism Committee.
“After two successful vaccination campaigns, the vast majority of our island’s citizens are now vaccinated, and our efficient Covid-19 testing center offers swift service for everyone,” Dufau said.
Restaurants, boutiques, water activities and all services are being provided as usual. Hotels and private villas on the island are open for tourism.
April 2nd 2021 update:
The country has registered 775 cases of Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic, with only one death. However, it has not recorded a case of the virus since March 19th, when 63 cases were detected following tests on the island.
Since the middle of March vaccinations for eligible citizens on the island have been underway, the country is not set to undergo an intense vaccination campaigncourtesy of the French government to ensure the bulk of the 10,000 citizens receive their inoculations. The vaccination drive is set to commence on April 19th, and is expected to last for two to three weeks.
Once the mass vaccinations have been completed, the island is expected to be able to welcome travelers back by May, kickstarting tourism once more and giving travelers another destination to visit in the Caribbean. France’s other territories in the region like St Martin can be visited.
Please read also St Martin Covid Travel Updates here
February 2 update:
On Tuesday, February 2, the French government decided to extend closings to its overseas territories as well—including St. Barts, St. Martin, Martinique, and St. Pierre and Guadeloupe (as well as the islands of French Polynesia). The Caribbean closings went into effect on Wednesday, February 3.
French Prime Minister Jean Castex announced that mainland France is closing its borders to non-EU citizens. French overseas territories like St Barts are NOT exempt to this travel restriction, and as a result, access into St Barts is restricted from Feb 2 onwards. The only exception are travelers who have a “compelling reason” to enter St Barts – medical, professional or family reason for example. See St Barts travel waiver application form. We expect these measure to be temporary, and will update this page with an end date as soon as one is made available to us.
The island, however, is appealing the decision, which was arrived at, writes Nils Dufau, president of the tourism board, “independently of the will of our local authorities.” It is asking for an exemption based on its low Covid-19 case load: St. Barts has had fewer than 380 confirmed cases since the start of the pandemic last March.
“We have managed to keep [the virus] at bay,” Dufau said in his statement. “The situation is well managed and under control…. St. Barts authorities are…negotiating with the French government to ease the entry restrictions and find an alternative solution. Our aim is to reopen the island’s borders as soon as possible.”
Visitors already on St Barts as of Feb 2 are welcome to stay as long as they like, and they can leave at any time. Grocery stores, restaurants and shops remain open.
Requirements traveling to St. Barts today:
All inbound visitors to St. Barths are required to present a negative COVID-19 rt-PCR test result, from a test taken within 3 days prior to arrival in St. Barths. Effective January 18, the island will no longer accept antigen test results for entry to the island. Children age 10 or younger are exempt from this requirement. Please note: Even if you have been vaccinated, you will be still required to get tested in order to enter St. Barths, and to wear a mask in public buildings once there.
Looking for a testing center near you in the U.S.? Here are some helpful links:
U.S. Government Test Center finder: Health & Human Services test center search tool
We recommend using COVID testing centers affiliated with large hospitals and university medical centers such as Weill Cornell Medicine in Manhattan, Yale New Haven Health centers in Connecticut, and Tufts Medical Center in Boston. If you do not live in an area with a medical center that can quickly process test results, you may want to order an at-home test.
Here are three at-home nasal swab testing options:
Send the results to Haute Retreats prior to departing so your reservations agent can confirm to airlines and local authorities that you have met the entry requirements.
Effective January 21 – new regulation for arriving visitors
Upon arrival, travelers are asked to sign a document that asks for their commitment to not frequent public areas for their first 7 days on the island, in particular restaurants, bars, boutiques, and churches
On day 7, travelers are asked to get a COVID-19 test if staying longer than a week. If this test is negative, travelers are free to enter restaurants, bars, boutiques, churches, and all other public spaces.
We also offer in-villa rapid antigen testing in the comfort and privacy of your villa.
The cost is 100 euros per person.
Travel Insurance Options
Regardless of where you choose to travel, we recommend purchasing travel insurance.
Travel Tip: Looking for an extra level of assurance when traveling? Consider a MedJets membership for peace of mind.
What Tests Are Required When Returning to the US?
Effective January 26, 2021, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expanding the requirement for a negative COVID-19 test to ALL air passengers entering the United States.
All people entering the U.S. from a foreign country are required to get a viral test (a PCR or Antigen test for current infection) within the 3 days before their flight to the U.S. departs, and provide written documentation of their laboratory test result (paper or electronic copy) to the airline or provide documentation of having recovered from COVID-19. Passengers should download and complete the CDC test attestation form prior to boarding.
IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION – If you have had COVID-19, we recommend that you take the PCR test when traveling. The reason is that even after recovering from COVID-19, you will most likely test positive when using the antigen test method. If you have no other option than to take the Antigen test, and you test positive because you had COVID-19 at some earlier date, you will need to produce proof of recovery (the PCR test result you got once you recovered).
Airlines will ask passengers to fill out this Covid test attestation form to confirm the negative test result for all passengers or documentation of recovery before they board. If a passenger does not have proof of a negative test or recovery, or chooses not to take a test, the airline must deny boarding to the passenger.
Connecting to St. Barths through St Martin (SXM)?
If you are traveling to St. Barths through St Martin, you will also need to fill out a travel entry request form for St Martin, and submit it prior to travel, along with your COVID-19 test result information. St Martin requires that everyone filling out an entry request form purchase a $30 medical insurance policy, however, this is NOT required if you are not spending the night in St Martin. If flying to St Martin, you will need to fill out the St Martin travel application form.
Please note: you will also be required to submit a request to enter St Martin on your returning flight, although no additional testing is required.
St Martin will accept COVID-19 PCR tests, and if your end destination is St Barths, that test needs to have been taken within the last 3 full days prior to arrival.
If you are staying overnight on St Martin
The island of St Martin will accept both Covid19 PCR tests and three types of Rapid Anti-Gen PCR tests, which must be administered via nasal swab. The test must have been taken within the last 2 full days prior to arrival.
a). Abbott – CGIA (Panbio COVID-19 Ag rapid test
b). Becton Dickinson (BD) –CGIA BD Veritor COVID test
c). Roche/ SD biosensor F test.
Connecting to St. Barths through San Juan (SJU)?
If you are traveling to St. Barths through San Juan, you do not need to complete the online travel request form required for travel to Puerto Rico. Just show your negative COVID-19 test result, and continue on to St. Barths. The same is true when you are transiting back through San Juan on your way home.
Staying in St Barths for more than a week?
If you are staying on St Barths longer than 7 days, you are required to be tested on-island on day 7 using a rapid antigen test. This test is available at the Red Cross mobile drive-up testing center located in a parking lot in St Jean (near the soccer stadium, across the street from the pedestrian walkway to St Jean beach). Alternatively, the testing can be scheduled in your villa at a cost of 100 euros per person. 
In case your COVID-19 test results positive while on-island
If during your stay on-island your test results positive, you will be asked to self-quarantine in your villa for 7-14 nights, or until you show no symptoms. If your conditions guest worse and you require medical assistance, you will be examined by a physician in the villa and if necessary you will be transferred to the quarantine housing by the sports stadium in St. Jean. You will be monitored by health professionals until you no longer show symptoms. Travelers who test positive are permitted to leave the island after they end the quarantine, as long as they do not have any fever or symptoms.
In case your conditions are serious you will be transfers to a hospital in St Martin, Guadeloupe or Martinique where there are larger hospitals.
The transfer by plane will be chartered by guests at your own expenses which ranges from 1,500 to 2,000 euros. Haute Retreats can also arrange this transfer. Relatives or friends of the client may not accompany them on this flight, they must fly in a separate plane. The client is loaded in a lying down position into a long plastic capsule with an oxygen tank. The shell is then sealed to protect the crew and is loaded onto the airplane. Here is an example of the capsule used.
We suggest a travel insurance or become a member of MedJets.
What COVID-19 protections are in place on-island?
- On October 17, the local health authorities required restaurants to cap table sizes at 6 persons, and to space tables 3-4 meters apart.
- By French government decree, masks must be worn in all public places.
What businesses are open on St. Barths?
- Grocery stores, pharmacies, banks, government offices, and other essential services are open
- Restaurants in St. Barths now offer dine-in service, with increased spacing between the tables. Take-out service continues in many restaurants
- Visitors are asked to practice responsible behavior, including social distancing and wearing a mask when entering an enclosed public building like the airport, or a store or shop
Which Airlines are Flying to St. Barths?
Tradewind Aviation provides scheduled service between San Juan Airport (SJU) and St. Barths Gustaf III Airport (SBH). You can find direct flights to San Juan from several U.S. airports, including New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Miami, and Fort Lauderdale. For assistance with flight planning, please send an email to info@hauteretreats.com we also partner with ONEflight International a private jet company that will also send you quotes from the U.S. or Europe into San Juan and St Martin, and private charter service to St Barths.
Win-Air and St. Barth Commuter both provide scheduled service between St Martin and St. Barths.
Villas are open and available in St Barts
Yes, as of June 22 you can reserve a stay in most villas on St Barths (Exceptions include villas under renovation, or those being used by their owners). We revised the concierge arrivals service procedures per health authority guidelines and has provided enhanced guidelines for housekeeping,
For information about renting specific villas, please send us an email to reservations@hauteretreats.com
Start your villa search (featured here: Villa Casa del Mar)
St Barths Regattas in 2021
28 January 2021
Each year, the Stewards of the St Barths Bucket stage their international sailing event for the enjoyment of yacht owners and for the benefit of the people of St Barths. The “Spirit of the Bucket” is a time-honored tradition that has endured for 36 years.
Last year, the Bucket was cancelled at the last minute because the pandemic had just begun to spread. This year, a January resurgence has resulted in heightened health uncertainties and rapidly changing travel restrictions for prospective regatta participants. One by one, over the last few weeks, yacht owners decided that it had become impossible to attend the Bucket in 2021 and that they would postpone participation until 2022. With a committed field of less than five, the collective decision of the race participants had to be acknowledged and accepted by the Bucket Stewards. As a result, the 2021 St Barth’s Bucket is now officially cancelled.
Hotels that reopened in St Barts:
Les Islets de la Plage: re-opened in June
Pearl Beach hotel: reopened in June
Baie des Anges: re-opened in June
Manapany: re-opened in July
Carl Gustaf : re-opened in October
Eden Rock: re-opened in October
Le Barthélemy: re-opened in October
Hotel Cheval Blanc: re-opened in October
Le Toiny: re-opened in November
Villa Marie: re-opened in November
Hotel Christopher: re-opened in November
The Rosewood Guanahani St Bart: re-opening Spring of 2021
Contact Haute Retreats for the latest news and travel news in St Barts or to make a reservation in one of the hotels above info@hauteretreats.com
Updated reservations and cancelation policies for COVID-19
We want to offer you additional flexibility and peace of mind when you make a new villa rental or hotel booking with Haute Retreats. Please note that details vary by destination, and this is a limited time offer*.
- Book now, Pay later. Reserve your villa today, and we will extend the deposit due date up to 30 days where possible.
- Want to “wait and see” before making that final deposit? We offer relaxed final payment dates.
- Coronavirus-related issues mean you have to cancel? We offer flexible cancel policies for coronavirus, with credits for future travel for your villa or hotel in most cases.
Covid19 test requirements – Most Caribbean islands are requiring that the traveler present a negative Covid19 test result in order to enter the destination. Please send an email to info@hauteretreats.com to learn more…
