Anguilla adds new ‘day four’ PCR test for tourists

The Caribbean island is currently on the UK’s green list

The island of Anguilla is opening up to international travellers (Getty Images)

Anguilla now requires visitors to take a PCR test on day four of their trip, in addition to the existing test conducted on arrival.

The new rule will come into effect on 1 October on the British Overseas Territory in the eastern Caribbean, which is currently on the UK’s green list.

The island’s authorities announced on Tuesday that they had lifted the previous four-day quarantine period for all international leisure travellers staying at hotels or villas, regardless of their length of stay, TravelPulse reported.

Instead, on arrival in Anguilla, holidaymakers must take an initial PCR test, then stay at their accommodation while awaiting the result of that first test, which is usually delivered within 12 hours.

As long as this is negative, they can move freely around the island in between testing negative on arrival and receiving their day-four test.

Assuming the day four test also comes up negative, they can continue their holiday freely.

But the lighter rules don’t come cheap - according to TravelPulse, officials have said that “a $200 (£145) fee for arrival and fourth day testing will be charged beginning 1 October to ‘assist with covering the costs associated with the new testing regime’”.

Several Caribbean islands are on the green list at present: namely Barbados, Bermuda, Antigua and Barbuda, the Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat and the Turks and Caicos islands.

Anguilla is also on the UK’s “green watchlist” which marks destinations at higher risk of moving suddenly to the amber list, with stricter rules for travellers.