Eager travelers around the globe are gathering their gear, packing their bags, and anticipating their upcoming Spring Break trips. Families and students alike will head to their favorite sun-filled destinations to relax, recharge, and of course, catch some rays. But with the coronavirus pandemic still in full effect, Spring Break travel is going to look quite different this year than in years past. How people travel, where they travel to, and most importantly, how they can stay safe are just a few of the challenges we expect to see travelers come face to face with.
From the status of passport processing to checking on country-specific COVID-19 rules and regulations, here’s everything that you should know if you plan on traveling this Spring Break:
Obtain or Renew Your Passport as Soon as Possible
Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, we’ve seen major delays in passport processing times, and unfortunately, it’s no different now. If you’re looking to obtain or renew your passport before departure day, you’re going to need to move fast. Current passport processing times are 4-6 weeks for expedited passports, and 10-12 weeks for normal processing times. Please plan accordingly to ensure that you’ll be able to go on your Spring Break trip come departure day.
Another important thing to note is that children’s passports expire every 5 years. This means that families who are traveling with children will need to check that their passports are still valid. Furthermore, for you young adult travelers, you’ll want to check if your passport was issued before you were 16 years of age to ensure that it’s not expired.
Passport Validity is Key
Another thing that you’ll need to check as soon as possible is that your passport is still valid:
- For those of you who are planning on traveling to Mexico, you’ll need to have a passport that is valid at the time of entry, or face being sent straight home
- If you’re looking to travel to the Caribbean, there are a number of islands that require that your passport is valid for at least 6 months at your time of entry.
Frequently Check COVID-19 Information For the Country You’re Traveling to
Rules and restrictions that have been set in place due to the coronavirus pandemic are constantly changing, and it’s crucial that you keep up to date with this information for the country that you’ll be traveling to. For example, some countries are requiring that travelers show proof of a negative COVID-19 test before entering, while other countries are requiring that travelers quarantine for a set period of time on arrival.
You can obtain COVID-19 country specific information by going to the travel.state.gov website.
Travel Restrictions For Americans
There are travel restrictions specifically set for Americans that you’ll want to be aware of. One of the more substantial restrictions being that as of February 2, 2021, travel to Europe and Brazil is still off limits from the United States. Unfortunately, there’s no telling when the travel restrictions to these countries will be lifted.
You can read more about the current status of these travel restrictions by going to the travel.state.gov website.
Procedures For Re-Entering the United States
Effective January 26, 2021, the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is requiring that all air passengers entering the United States (including U.S. citizens and Legal Permanent Residents) must present a negative COVID-19 test, taken within three calendar days of departure, or proof of recovery from the virus within the last 90 days.
Airlines must confirm the negative test result or proof of recovery for all passengers two years of age and over prior to boarding. Airlines must deny boarding of passengers who do not provide documentation of a negative test or recovery.
Please see this FAQ from the CDC’s website for answers to questions about the new requirement for proof of a negative COVID-19 test or recovery from COVID-19 for all air passengers arriving in the United States.Wherever you plan on traveling to this Spring Break, stay safe, stay healthy, and enjoy some fun in the sun. And as always, if you have questions about obtaining or renewing your passport, please don’t hesitate to contact the Swift team – we’d be happy to help!
