Hawaii has maintained strict entry requirements throughout the pandemic. With COVID rates dropping throughout the country Hawaii has revised their entry procedures. Here's what you need to know.
During the pandemic Hawaii has been very careful when allowing travelers to visit the islands. These restrictions have varied depending on what was happening both in Hawaii and the mainland. To keep both locals as well as visitors safe Hawaii created the Safe Travels Hawaii program. This is a multilayered process designed to mitigate the spread of COVID19 on the islands. For more information visit hawaiicovid19.com.
Both vaccinated and unvaccinated visitors are welcome in Hawaii, however there are different entry requirements depending on vaccination status.
Let’s start with unvaccinated travelers. Hawaii requires a mandatory 5 day self-quarintine for unvaccinated travelers visiting and of the islands. The good news is that you can avoid the quarantine by testing negative for COVID within 72 hours of the departing flight. There are some requirements for it to be accepted as a way to bypass quarantine. The test must be taken from a Trusted Testing and Travel Partner. Tests that have been digitally validated by a Digital Health Pass Partner will also be accepted. You will need a hard copy of the test result when arriving.
Fully vaccinated travelers have it a little easier, they only need to provide proof of vaccination status to avoid the quarantine.
Both travelers will need to provide trip details, vaccination or testing information, and submit a health form to the Hawaii Safe Travels program. The Health Form will be available 24 hours before your departure. Once this form is submitted you will receive a QR code that will be used to verify your status while traveling.
It’s recommended that you carry hard copies of testing status, proof of vaccination, and the QR code received from the Safe Travels program while traveling in Hawaii.
For travelers arriving from an international destination Hawaii has aligned its requirements to conform with current federal requirements. These include being fully vaccinated and having a negative PCR test taken within 24 hours of boarding the final leg of their trip.
There are restrictions currently in place within Hawaii. When visiting a bar or restaurant you will be required to show proof of vaccination status or a negative covid test. The good news is that areas such as Oahu have announced that many restrictions will be dropped in the coming weeks. Oahu has decided to drop most restrictions on March 6th, however they will still require masks to be worn indoors.
Smaller islands can have their own restrictions in place, so be sure to check current rules for anyplace you plan on traveling within Hawaii before you arrive.
