Starting Wednesday, travelers to the Caribbean Island of St. Lucia will need to complete a new form ahead of arrival.
The new Electronic Immigration Form, requires travelers to submit their itinerary and contact information within 72 hours of arrival. The form also asks the nature of travel, such as business, convention, wedding, or visiting friends.
Despite the fact that St. Lucia removed all COVID-19 entry restrictions, the new form has several health related questions such as if a traveler has any symptoms or contact with someone who had a communicable disease. The form states that any false declarations will be fined XCD $1,000 (or $370 USD).
The tourism department for St. Lucia shares on its website that they strongly encourage all travelers to submit the form within 3 days of arrival, but for those who do not submit in advance, they will be required to complete and submit a paper version on-site at the airport.
“We have been listening to our nationals, visitors, and investors who are seeking seamless travel experiences backed by confidence in the management of the destination’s entry processes,” assistant superintendent in charge of the Department of Immigration for the island, Sean Alexander, said in a statement provided to Travel + Leisure. “This is a unified approach, ensuring that our commitment to welcoming travelers is of a global standard.”
Travelers only need to submit one form on behalf of an entire family or group, and after submitting the form travelers will receive an emailed receipt with a QR Code to present to local authorities upon arriving, according to the government’s website.
Testing out the form both on a desktop and mobile device, T+L found that the process was very responsive and straightforward. The island’s tourism department points out that the form can even be completed upon an arriving flight with in-flight wifi, to help expedite the arrival process for passengers.
Travelers looking to plan a trip to the island may want to consider checking out the upcoming St. Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival in May, or taking advantage of winter travel specials curated by the local tourism board, which include hotel discounts of up to 40% off.
