KRALENDIJK – The announced relaxation of test requirements for travellers from St. Eustatius and Saba to Bonaire has been temporarily put on hold. 

On Thursday the Government of Bonaire had announced that, starting on February 12, 2022, travellers out of St. Eustatius and Saba would only need to fill out the Health Declaration form, just as is the case for travellers from Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten. 

“The BES islands are special municipalities in the Netherlands. In order to change the travel conditions for those islands, a different path has to be taken than for Curaçao, Aruba and St. Maarten. And that takes more time. As soon as the relaxation of travel conditions for travelers from the BES islands to Bonaire is possible, this will be announced,” according to a statement sent out by Bonaire Government on Friday evening. 

This means that fully vaccinated travellers from Saba and St. Eustatius will still have to either take a PCR test 48 hours before departure, or an antigen test 24 hours before departure. Travelers from Saba and St. Eustatius who have not been fully vaccinated must do a PCR test 48 hours before departure.

Curaçao, Aruba and St. Maarten

Bonaire Government in the same release emphasizes that the relaxation of the travel conditions for passengers from Curaçao, Aruba and St. Maarten remains in force. Fully vaccinated passengers from those islands, starting on February 12, 2022 do no longer need to take an antigen or PCR test before departure to Bonaire.

Bonaire Government also clarified that persons who have had those two corona shots are considered ‘fully vaccinated’.