BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Mar. 3, 2022– There will be no more mandatory testing of Belizeans crossing the border to re-enter the country after having spent more than 24 hours in another country, as had been mandated when the borders were initially reopened for local residents. After that initial reopening, Belizeans who spent more than 24 hours across the border had to pay a mandatory fee of $100 for a COVID-19 test.

However, Minister of Health and Wellness, Hon. Kevin Bernard, has announced that there will be no more testing at the land borders for vaccinated Belizeans.

“With the requirement, now only vaccinated people can leave the country, and if you’re vaccinated and coming back in, there’s no need to test. Therefore, the Belizeans going to Chetumal for five, six days, can, a week if you like, there’s no need for you to test, so there’s no fee you’re paying for coming after an overnight stay or after a 72-hour stay. There’s no longer the need for them to pay that fee. The only persons that are required to pay the fee are those who are coming in unvaccinated that are tourists, because Belizeans who leave the country must be vaccinated to leave,” Minister Bernard said.

As for tourists, as long as they are fully vaccinated they won’t be required to take a test to enter the country.

“If you are a tourist coming in; coming by land, sea, or air, you can come into the country once you are fully vaccinated and can prove that you are immunized for COVID, then you don’t need to test at the border or at the entry point. But if you are unvaccinated, you have to test at the airport, if you’re coming by air or at the land border; or at the seaports once you’re traveling through those means,” said Hon. Bernard.