Covid, USA, tests, Baffled, please help
Discussion
djc206 said:
Your test results were checked at the border? CBP didn’t ask us for anything to do with covid just the usual questions about return flights, itinerary etc.
I'm not sure to be honest. I uploaded everything onto the Veryfly app so I guess they were checked then, once I got to border control I confirmed my pass on the app, usual few questions and they were happy. It's probably the quickest I have got through.Test results were checked by the airline so I assume if you have been allowed to board that's good enough for them.
certainly when i was flying in under the previous rules to the usa (3 day test) I was never checked by cbp in maybe 5 trips. In fact at no border us/uk/spain/thailand* has the immigration guy checked the covid test. Its always been the airline.
- thailand there was an additional check on landing.
GCH said:
The path of least hassle is to book an advance slot at expresstest on site at the airport for a rapid antigen test (rapid antigen is acceptable for the US - you do not need a more expensive PCR) an hour earlier than you normally would arrive.
It is the top option here www.expresstest.co.uk/book-a-test and is usually £35, reduced to 30 if you use a code.
Results emailed to you in 40 mins (mine have never taken more than 30) - grab a coffee or something. Show email to check in, off you go.
^^This is what we are doing in a couple of weeks time.It is the top option here www.expresstest.co.uk/book-a-test and is usually £35, reduced to 30 if you use a code.
Results emailed to you in 40 mins (mine have never taken more than 30) - grab a coffee or something. Show email to check in, off you go.
We DID have similar 45min wait tests Pre-booked at a Boots store in a large shopping/restaurant complex the night before the flight, but they cancelled on us with no warning at the weekend.
Hence, we have pulled the taxi pickup forward and gone the airport test route.
I’ll remember to update the experience on here when I get to the departures lounge.
Hol said:
GCH said:
The path of least hassle is to book an advance slot at expresstest on site at the airport for a rapid antigen test (rapid antigen is acceptable for the US - you do not need a more expensive PCR) an hour earlier than you normally would arrive.
It is the top option here www.expresstest.co.uk/book-a-test and is usually £35, reduced to 30 if you use a code.
Results emailed to you in 40 mins (mine have never taken more than 30) - grab a coffee or something. Show email to check in, off you go.
^^This is what we are doing in a couple of weeks time.It is the top option here www.expresstest.co.uk/book-a-test and is usually £35, reduced to 30 if you use a code.
Results emailed to you in 40 mins (mine have never taken more than 30) - grab a coffee or something. Show email to check in, off you go.
We DID have similar 45min wait tests Pre-booked at a Boots store in a large shopping/restaurant complex the night before the flight, but they cancelled on us with no warning at the weekend.
Hence, we have pulled the taxi pickup forward and gone the airport test route.
I’ll remember to update the experience on here when I get to the departures lounge.
x5tuu said:
Hol said:
GCH said:
The path of least hassle is to book an advance slot at expresstest on site at the airport for a rapid antigen test (rapid antigen is acceptable for the US - you do not need a more expensive PCR) an hour earlier than you normally would arrive.
It is the top option here www.expresstest.co.uk/book-a-test and is usually £35, reduced to 30 if you use a code.
Results emailed to you in 40 mins (mine have never taken more than 30) - grab a coffee or something. Show email to check in, off you go.
^^This is what we are doing in a couple of weeks time.It is the top option here www.expresstest.co.uk/book-a-test and is usually £35, reduced to 30 if you use a code.
Results emailed to you in 40 mins (mine have never taken more than 30) - grab a coffee or something. Show email to check in, off you go.
We DID have similar 45min wait tests Pre-booked at a Boots store in a large shopping/restaurant complex the night before the flight, but they cancelled on us with no warning at the weekend.
Hence, we have pulled the taxi pickup forward and gone the airport test route.
I’ll remember to update the experience on here when I get to the departures lounge.
With the US requiring a test within 24hrs of the flight, I think most people will be showing emails, as you simply cannot do it earlier.
Hol said:
That’s why I was trying to get the 24hr tests completed the night before. All that will be on there in advance now is our vaccination certificates.
With the US requiring a test within 24hrs of the flight, I think most people will be showing emails, as you simply cannot do it earlier.
I think someone said here earlier that you can do the test on the calendar day before the flight, not within 24 hours. So on that basis, I think it is possible, for example, to test on Friday morning and fly on Saturday evening?With the US requiring a test within 24hrs of the flight, I think most people will be showing emails, as you simply cannot do it earlier.
My daughter is studying in the USA and has been there and back twice in the last few months. The last time she went back (3 weeks ago) she simply took an LFT at RANDOX in the Trafford Centre the day before she left, and the results were sent via e-mail within a few hours. She took the test at 11AM on Friday and flew at 11:45 the following day.
paulguitar said:
Hol said:
That’s why I was trying to get the 24hr tests completed the night before. All that will be on there in advance now is our vaccination certificates.
With the US requiring a test within 24hrs of the flight, I think most people will be showing emails, as you simply cannot do it earlier.
I think someone said here earlier that you can do the test on the calendar day before the flight, not within 24 hours. So on that basis, I think it is possible, for example, to test on Friday morning and fly on Saturday evening?With the US requiring a test within 24hrs of the flight, I think most people will be showing emails, as you simply cannot do it earlier.
But admittedly the guidance on my carrier website does say ‘1 Day’ and not the specific 24hrs that I have seen previously.
Hol said:
It would be good for someone to validate that fact for the forum members who follow on in this conversation, but unfortunately We have already planned for the worst and already gone past that option.
But admittedly the guidance on my carrier website does say ‘1 Day’ and not the specific 24hrs that I have seen previously.
But admittedly the guidance on my carrier website does say ‘1 Day’ and not the specific 24hrs that I have seen previously.
The CDC website says:
'If you plan to travel internationally, you will need to get a COVID-19 viral test (regardless of vaccination status or citizenship) no more than 1 day before you travel by air into the United States. You must show your negative result to the airline before you board your flight.'
Certainly sounds like the day before and not within 24 hours.
I'm going to NYC soon and flying via Dublin. Currently trying to ascertain if I can fly to Dublin from MAN with no test and do the test for the USA in my Dublin layover.
x5tuu said:
The only minor issue with this route is if your airline specify having to use VeriFly or similar where you have to upload all the information before you can check in etc. and has to be done several hours before departure at the latest.
My wife did VeriFLY whilst in the check queue when we returned from the US. It would stop you checking in online though.paulguitar said:
The CDC website says:
'If you plan to travel internationally, you will need to get a COVID-19 viral test (regardless of vaccination status or citizenship) no more than 1 day before you travel by air into the United States. You must show your negative result to the airline before you board your flight.'
Certainly sounds like the day before and not within 24 hours.
I'm going to NYC soon and flying via Dublin. Currently trying to ascertain if I can fly to Dublin from MAN with no test and do the test for the USA in my Dublin layover.
Use the DocHQ tests, it's a video supervised test and you get the results as soon as your test is complete. From starting the test to receiving the certificate takes 15-20 minutes, £16 each or thereabouts. You can upload the certificate onto Verifly and away you go.
https://dochq.co.uk/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAu62QBhC7ARIsALX...
I did one at home to get into the USA and one in a Canadian hotel room to get back into the USA, it doesn't really matter where you are the process is the same. The service and process could not have been better.
On the timing thing, I was checked by the airline that it had to be less than 24 hours prior so be careful, that was Aer Lingus, UK to the US. Air Canada didn't mention anything for my trip from Toronto to the US. I'm fairly certain you could forge a certificate and get away with it if you check-in at the airport, it's only airline staff checking and there not that bothered but for £16 per test you might as well do it the right way.
https://dochq.co.uk/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAu62QBhC7ARIsALX...
I did one at home to get into the USA and one in a Canadian hotel room to get back into the USA, it doesn't really matter where you are the process is the same. The service and process could not have been better.
On the timing thing, I was checked by the airline that it had to be less than 24 hours prior so be careful, that was Aer Lingus, UK to the US. Air Canada didn't mention anything for my trip from Toronto to the US. I'm fairly certain you could forge a certificate and get away with it if you check-in at the airport, it's only airline staff checking and there not that bothered but for £16 per test you might as well do it the right way.
x5tuu said:
djc206 said:
x5tuu said:
Even simpler and cheaper ... NHS provided LFT and Klarity for the certificate only ... €9.50 per person.
Technically that wouldn’t be the correct Klarity service though, it would have to be the supervised one which is ~£20. But yes very simple and never have to leave the house.I flew out to the states just under 2 weeks ago and returned on Monday morning.
The test requirements are ambiguous in fairness but your departure test from the UK only has to be done the day before - ignore the '24 hours' that keeps getting suggested. My test was at 0730 on the Friday morning and I flew out at midday on the Saturday from LHR.
I did my supervised test via Zoom in the comfort of my own home. It was zero hassle and I had my fit to fly certificate sent to me within minutes of submitting the pictures. I was able to upload the document along with proof of vaccination to Virgin's portal with no issues.
I used Project Screen by Prenetics and used the Telehealth Lateral Flow Antigen Fit to Fly for £27. It's just your standard LFT test but posted out in its own box. I had ordered the day 2 covid test from them for my return but I had ordered it before they removed the requirements so that was a waste of £17.
Check in was relatively painless - you still had the usual lot trying to claim mask exemptions and the airport staff seemed to be enforcing the rules. The pass was just glanced at as was my vaccination status and I didn't have my status checked at all until my return flight check-in. That was in Florida but there was no checks on my connecting flights in JFK.
I had no issues with removing masks on the plane to eat and drink - this was with Virgin and Delta. They were quite chilled about it as long as you didn't take the proverbial.
It's a bit pointless filling in the passenger locator form when going back to your own address in the UK but that did get checked upon check-in for the return leg.
Interestingly, I didn't see one person not wearing their mask in JFK or Tampa airports - it's a federal requirement there and it was 'interesting' to see the complete lack of sunflower lanyards there.....
Overall, it was a lot less hassle than I thought it would be - I was stressing over nothing in the run up to an important work trip abroad!
The test requirements are ambiguous in fairness but your departure test from the UK only has to be done the day before - ignore the '24 hours' that keeps getting suggested. My test was at 0730 on the Friday morning and I flew out at midday on the Saturday from LHR.
I did my supervised test via Zoom in the comfort of my own home. It was zero hassle and I had my fit to fly certificate sent to me within minutes of submitting the pictures. I was able to upload the document along with proof of vaccination to Virgin's portal with no issues.
I used Project Screen by Prenetics and used the Telehealth Lateral Flow Antigen Fit to Fly for £27. It's just your standard LFT test but posted out in its own box. I had ordered the day 2 covid test from them for my return but I had ordered it before they removed the requirements so that was a waste of £17.
Check in was relatively painless - you still had the usual lot trying to claim mask exemptions and the airport staff seemed to be enforcing the rules. The pass was just glanced at as was my vaccination status and I didn't have my status checked at all until my return flight check-in. That was in Florida but there was no checks on my connecting flights in JFK.
I had no issues with removing masks on the plane to eat and drink - this was with Virgin and Delta. They were quite chilled about it as long as you didn't take the proverbial.
It's a bit pointless filling in the passenger locator form when going back to your own address in the UK but that did get checked upon check-in for the return leg.
Interestingly, I didn't see one person not wearing their mask in JFK or Tampa airports - it's a federal requirement there and it was 'interesting' to see the complete lack of sunflower lanyards there.....
Overall, it was a lot less hassle than I thought it would be - I was stressing over nothing in the run up to an important work trip abroad!
Just back from a trip to NY, and it couldn't have been easier (certainly much more so than my trip to Thailand in Jan), if not slightly confusing to get to the actual requirements.
I found the ambiguity about CDC-compliant LFTs (which are/aren't?) on the way out a bit confusing, so opted for a same-day PCR at ~£70 locally. If I'd found this thread, I'd have gladly saved the cash and time and done a Zoom-supervised LFT.
Mild panic when I was out there about return tests. After Thailand I had it in my head that BA made a 72hr test a condition of carriage (rather than Govt mandated), but luckily dug out the correct info and avoided paying $250+ for a test in NY. Passenger Locator Form was annoying as usual, but the portal has a lot of my details saved from previous trips, which helped a little.
Flight itself was easy - in business both legs. Cabin crew were very relaxed about mask wearing (helps to have your own 'pod'), and people seemed happy not to take the pee in response.
Even though the NY State mask mandate was lifted while we were there, most places still had signage up and many were actively enforcing on entry. MOMA even questioned the type of mask I was wearing, despite the place being almost completely empty. That said, after a few drinks in the evening very few folks were bothering in most bars/restaurants.
Everywhere we went checked our vaccine certificate (even though they didn't tend to look too closely) and ID, so make sure to have these to hand if you're going out anywhere.
I found the ambiguity about CDC-compliant LFTs (which are/aren't?) on the way out a bit confusing, so opted for a same-day PCR at ~£70 locally. If I'd found this thread, I'd have gladly saved the cash and time and done a Zoom-supervised LFT.
Mild panic when I was out there about return tests. After Thailand I had it in my head that BA made a 72hr test a condition of carriage (rather than Govt mandated), but luckily dug out the correct info and avoided paying $250+ for a test in NY. Passenger Locator Form was annoying as usual, but the portal has a lot of my details saved from previous trips, which helped a little.
Flight itself was easy - in business both legs. Cabin crew were very relaxed about mask wearing (helps to have your own 'pod'), and people seemed happy not to take the pee in response.
Even though the NY State mask mandate was lifted while we were there, most places still had signage up and many were actively enforcing on entry. MOMA even questioned the type of mask I was wearing, despite the place being almost completely empty. That said, after a few drinks in the evening very few folks were bothering in most bars/restaurants.
Everywhere we went checked our vaccine certificate (even though they didn't tend to look too closely) and ID, so make sure to have these to hand if you're going out anywhere.
Has anybody taken children to the USA? My understanding is that they are exempt from the vaccination requirement but must take a test 3-5 days after arrival... but what type of test should this be? Is taking some NHS LFT test away with us adequate or do we need to find an official US centre to have it done?
D4SH said:
Has anybody taken children to the USA? My understanding is that they are exempt from the vaccination requirement but must take a test 3-5 days after arrival... but what type of test should this be? Is taking some NHS LFT test away with us adequate or do we need to find an official US centre to have it done?
I believe that under 18s are exempt from the vaccination requirement to travel to the US still. There is no requirement to have a test upon arrival here. It is recommended for all, but not mandatory, and you don't need to to submit it to anyone.
If you want to take an NHS one and do it on day 3-5- for peace of mind then do so, but you shouldn't run into issues if you don't.
You may also get a call from someone in the days after arrival (I did last time I returned...but then I live here...not sure if visitors do) but that'll just be a polite 'do you have any symptoms' call.
Also, be aware that depending on which state you are headed to, restrictions may vary greatly, and this is entirely separate from the federal US entry requirements as it's done at state level. For example, if you are coming to NY and the kids are unvaccinated they won't be able to do much as proof of vaccination is mandatory for most stuff here still.
GCH said:
Also, be aware that depending on which state you are headed to, restrictions may vary greatly, and this is entirely separate from the federal US entry requirements as it's done at state level. For example, if you are coming to NY and the kids are unvaccinated they won't be able to do much as proof of vaccination is mandatory for most stuff here still.
Changes on a county level too, was in Colorado a couple of weeks ago, no mask mandate in Denver but there was in Boulder just down the road. Gassing Station | Holidays & Travel | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff