Entry requirements
Disclaimer: This stuff changes often and the airline operating your flight may require you to submit additional documentation, but at a minimum, following these guidelines is a good start! Feel free to reach out to me on instagram with any other questions!
Test Timing
Per the CDC Website: … you will need to get tested no more than 3 days before you travel by air into the United States (US) and show your negative result to the airline before you board your flight, or be prepared to show documentation of recovery (proof of a recent positive viral test and a letter from your healthcare provider or a public health official stating that you were cleared to travel). This means if you are departing on a Monday at 6pm, you can get tested at any time on the Friday before or after that, up until your flight departs.
My recommendation: Get tested within 72hrs so you don’t have anyone questioning your test timing at airports around the world where they have not studied the exact parameters of the policy.
Test Type
A PCR or viral (antigen test) will get you into the US. Home testing kits are also available (where you do the test over video conference and someone else certifies the results). For self testing, I have started using emed and think they are great. Make sure to order your test more than 48hrs before you depart for your trip. If you don’t use emed, every international airport I have visited in other countries this year has had at least an antigen/rapid testing clinic somewhere on or near the premises if you’d like to get tested just before leaving.
My recommendation: Get a PCR test when possible as they are more reliable and do more to help prevent the spread of COVID, which would be great. Test results can take longer (usually 24hrs), so plan accordingly.
Documentation
Besides your passport, the only document you must bring with you is a Passenger Attestation Form (see below), which is essentially a legally binding document that says you got tested by the means you reported and that those results were negative. In other words, you are promising that you did not forge your test results. As a reminder, your covid vaccine card is not necessary to enter the US if you are a citizen.
My recommendation: Print this document out (before you leave on your trip) as they will take the physical copy from you.