Returning to the US with a Covid negative test
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has expanded the testing program for international travel to the United States, allowing airlines to accept at-home instant tests that include remote supervision.
One company gained instant popularity for travelers looking for a more straightforward to get COVID-19 tests to fly back to the United States. Abbott’s BinaxNow COVID-19 Home Test is supervised and administered remotely online, and is approved for travel to the U.S. Results are available within 15 minutes. https://www.abbott.com/BinaxNOW-Tests-NAVICA-App.html
I recently used this test while in Belize and it was easy to administer, took only 15 minutes and was accepted by the airlines, no questions asked.
5 Common Mistakes Travelers Make Returning to the U.S.
1. Not Having the Right Type of COVID-19 Test
The only negative tests acceptable are either an antigen test or a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT).
If you are packing a self-test to take while traveling, the test must be a SARS-CoV-2 viral test (nucleic acid amplification test [NAAT] or antigen test) with Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The testing procedure must include real-time supervision remotely through an audio and video connection and must confirm your identity, observe the sample collection and testing. Results can be shown either on paper or electronically.
2. Forgetting to Declare Food.
Packaged cookies or candy is ok but food such as an apple served on the plane needs to be declared.
3. Not Having Proof of Vaccination
Acceptable proof of vaccination at the U.S. border includes: Vaccination certificates or digital passes with QR codes. A printed vaccination record or CDC vaccination card or a digital photo or electronic copy of your vaccination record/COVID card
4. Not Having Global Entry Membership
Now that international travelers are finally allowed back into the U.S., the country is experiencing a surge of visitors, causing longer entry lines at land borders and international airports. Spend the $100 fee for a five-year Global Entry membership, which will allow you to speed through reentry to the U.S. Use it once and you’ll agree that it’s completely worth the cost.
5. Arriving to the Airport Too Late
Arrive at the airport three or more hours before your flight home because airlines now have a number of things to check before they let travelers board a flight to the U.S., including vaccine cards and COVID tests, which can add hours to check-in lines. Be sure to leave extra time in case of long lines.
