Top 6 Travel Tips to Utila & The Bay Islands
UPDATED MARCH 11, 2023
THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE. I NEED A MINUTE TO UPDATE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR ENTRY TO HONDURAS. THE PRE-CHECK FORM TO ENTER HONDURAS IS NO LONGER REQUIRED!
Everything else applies.
Original post:
Updated February 18, 2023
Happy Day to all and safe traveling! This blog post is to help travelers coming to Honduras, and to give a little advice to North Americans about what to expect for their trip home.
The travel entry requirements for Honduras remain the same – See section 1.
We do everything we can to stay updated on the Covid-19 entry requirements, travel to Honduras, and the requirements for your travel/return to the USA or Canada. Covid-19 has made international travel more difficult & the entry requirements for immigration are always changing, not only here in Honduras but in the USA, Canada & other parts of the world. So we’ve created a series of Honduras Travel Tips & Posts to help in planning your voyage so you can safely arrive in Honduras, and to your ultimate destination in the Bay Islands, whether it may be to Utila, Roatan, or Guanaja.
This is what you’ll find in this post:
- USA still requires non-nationals to have a vaccination, & adds restrictions for those arriving from China, Hong Kong & Macao, or via Canada
- Dogs are no longer allowed in cabins with United Airlines (Section 6)
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- Entry Requirements to Honduras (Last updated by Honduras August 24, 2022)
- Pre-Check In Form Help & Health Form Section
- U.S.A. Removes Test Requirements for Nationals. Non-nationals require vaccination. Adds China, Hong Kong, Macao restrictions & transit from other area requirements (Last updated by USA February 14, 2023)
- Canada Removes Vaccination & Quarantine Entry Requirements. Adds China, Hong Kong, Macao restrictions ( Last updated by Canada February 3rd, 2023)
- Updated airline schedules – Canadian Flights, CM Airlines, International
- Dogs with may travel back & forth to Honduras. Foreign dogs to the USA require a CDC rabies vaccination and microchip record.
1. Honduras Covid-19 Entry Requirements (no change since August 24, 2022)
- Vaccination proof is enough to enter Honduras, or,
- Negative Covid-19 test within 72 hours of travel if no proof of vaccine can be shown.
- Immigration Pre-Check & Health Form must be filled in within 72 hours prior to arrival
As long as all your vaccination doses are complete 2 weeks prior to your travel, Honduras will allow proof of vaccination as being sufficient to enter Honduras. If you are not vaccinated, you’ll need a negative rapid antigen or PCR test taken within 72 hours of your travel. You must complete the pre-check form prior to your travel. See the next tip on filling out the Pre-Check Form. You may need to be firm with airlines on the Honduran entry requirements as some travelers experienced push-back at the check-in desk until the passenger showed the travel requirements to enter Honduras. So be prepared.
Remember that your passport to enter Honduras must be valid for the next six months, so check your expiry date.
2. Honduras Pre-Check Form & New Health Form
As of the 24th of August, 2022, there are two forms to complete:
- The Pre-Check Form.
- The Health Form (accessed when completing the Pre-Check Form)
Prior to flying, in addition to the requirement to complete the Honduras Pre Check-In form, please note Step 2: the NEW requirement to fill out the Epidemiological Health Surveillance Form (see red arrow below).
All travellers to Honduras must complete an online “Pre-check Form”. The form can be completed within 48 hours of your trip. However, you can register immediately and complete all the questions. The Roatan Task Force has put together a 12-page step-by-step user guide to help you complete the online form. Honduran Immigration Forms User Guide v2.3(R). PLEASE use this pdf guide which will walk you through the process of filling out the Pre-Check Form and the New Health Form. There are some bugs in the form so follow the guide. PRE-CHECK FORM: In the top right corner, there’s a flag where you can change the language of the site from ‘español’ (spanish) to ‘english‘. When you’re within the 48-hour time frame you can submit your form (this is to avoid excess records in the immigration system). You should receive a response via email, although some people have reported having not received an email. Print out your completed form and carry the form with you. To make things speedier for check-in, highlight your name, pre-check # and date of travel. Also know that you must have your correct flight information, otherwise you will not be able to complete the check-in. Below are the official names of the airports since the form does not state the airport location when requesting the “Immigration Office” of your arrival airport:
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If you’re visiting Roatan, Guanaja or Utila, your destination should be “Bay Islands – Islas de la Bahia“. Also, note that you may need proof of exit from Honduras during your maximum visa allowance of 90 days for most countries’ visas. Your ticket should be round-trip or you must have proof of your plans to exit the country. Remember that 90 days is NOT three months (depending how many days a month has). For example, 90 days from March 1, 2023 is May 30th, 2023. The form should also be completed when departing Honduras. If you’re heading to the USA, it took me a while to find the ‘destination country’. It is listed as “Estados Unidos de Norte America“. HEALTH FORM: Note that if you complete the form in english, there is the field “Responsable of Notifying“… It’s a bug in the form. If you click Spanish, it will fill the field with the Doctor in charge of your case. Use the guide above and you should have no problems completing the necessary forms. Good luck!
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3. Covid-19 Travel Restrictions for the U.S.A.
Effective February 14, 2023, proof of negative tests will no longer be required for U.S. nationals when returning to the USA.
The current travel requirements to the USA, as of February 14, 2023 are categorized into 4 groups:
- American Citizens, residents, immigrants – No tests required
- Visitors
- With Covid-19 Vaccination – No Tests required to Travel to the USA
- Without Covid-19 Vaccination – Not permitted travel nor transit through the USA
- American Nationals or Visitors who have embarked from China, Hong Kong, or Macao
- Passengers arriving from Seoul Incheon (ICN), Toronto (YYZ) or Vancouver (YVR) & who have been in China, Hong Kong, or Macao in the past 10 days but have a negative test taken no more than 2 days prior to your travel
Category 1 – For American Nationals, you no longer require a negative test.
Category 2 – For visitors, a Covid-19 vaccine with all doses completed 15 days prior to travel to the U.S.A. is required and you no longer require a negative Covid-19 test.
If you are a visitor to the USA, and you are not vaccinated, you may not transit through the USA. For more information click this link to the CDC Traveller’s Page.
Category 3 & 4 – Embarking from China, Seoul Incheon, Toronto or Vancouver
If you have embarked from China, Hong Kong, or Macao, you’ll require a negative COVID-19 Antigen Test taken within 2 days from your embarkation point. This does not apply to passengers under 2 years of age.
If you have embarked from Seoul Incheon, Toronto or Vancouver, and you have been in China, Hong Kong, or Macao within the 10 days prior, you’ll require a negative COVID-19 Antigen Test taken within 2 days from your first embarkation point. This does not apply to passengers under 2 years of age.
4. Canada Allows Proof of Vaccination to Enter
5. Airline Schedules – NEW CM Airlines Flights!
Here’s the latest flight itineraries and schedules thanks to the Bay Islands Tourism Bureau (updated January 2023)
CM Airlines Flights To/From Utila
CM Airlines started flights between Tegucigalpa (TGU – the nation’s capital), Roatan (RTB), Utila(UII) & San Pedro Sula (SAP). However, since COVID they have reduced their flight schedule, so PLEASE use these flights wherever possible so CM Airlines continues this schedule.
Remember, the ferry leaves here at 10:20am and arrives around 11:20am in Roatan. You’ll need to grab your luggage and get a taxi to the airport. If your flight leaves at 12:40 pm, it’s cutting it close. The airport in Roatan can be extremely busy which may cause a delay at check-in, and subsequent screening through airport security.
6. Dogs Vaccinated in the USA may travel (+ more requirements)
Please check with your airline, as some airlines, like United airlines, are no longer allowing pets in the cabin.
Extended through July 31, 2023 the restrictions of the USA regarding dogs imported from ‘high-risk countries’ such as Honduras, is still in effect. However, the USA will allow your U.S. pets to return to the USA with proof of their rabies shots & other requirements. This means that you can now visit with your four-legged furry travel companions.
Beginning March 1, 2023, all foreign-vaccinated dogs entering the United States from rabies high-risk countries must have a valid CDC Rabies Vaccination and Microchip Record [PDF – 1 page] in addition to either a CDC Dog Import Permit or a reservation at a CDC-approved animal care facility. CDC will NOT accept foreign-issued pet passports or any other certificates for foreign rabies vaccinations.
The CDC suspension continues although they will now allow dogs vaccinated in the USA by a US-licensed veterinarian to re-enter the USA from a high-risk country IF the dog:
- has a valid US-issued rabies vaccination certificate;
- has proof of a microchip;
- is at least 6 months old;
- is healthy upon arrival; and
- arrives at an approved port of entry
We hope that this information will aid you in making your trip planning easier so you can visit us and this beautiful island of Utila, Honduras!