The Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Test and the Air Travel Bubble (ATB) how do they affect your international travel?

The PCR Test has widely become the means to learn if a person is infected with the Covid-19 virus. By swabbing the nostril, the test can recognize if the virus is present. A positive result will prevent the traveler to move across international borders. Depending on the country, either a 48 or a 72-hour period after the test results are certified are, they valid. Certificates with a negative result are submitted at the check-in counter prior to boarding the aircraft/vessel.

To simplify, to board an aircraft/vessel bound for and travel within another country a negative PCR Test result is required. Still, boarding an aircraft in Tokyo with a negative result, does not guarantee a negative test upon arrival in Sydney, 12 hours later, or say 6-days later upon departure from Sydney; testing is carried out on in- and out-bound portions of the trip. So, there is a risk, although a slight one - the virus may not have manifested itself on the first test or for any other possible reasons, but does so on the second test some hours/days later. A traveler could be turned back at the disembarked location or chose to remain under a 14-day quarantine. That is just the fact for many countries these days.

PCR test are carried out by medical professionals at clinics prior to traveling to the airport and recently within certain airports as well. The cost of the test varies from $90-$250. Many clinics advertise results within 3-days. Some airlines are offering PCR tests for their ticketed departing passengers, within 3-hours at the airport of departure too. Governments make arrangements off site or offer PCR test for arrival passengers in the airport. Still free mobility once the destination is reached is what it means to be on holiday and the so called “air travel bubble” (ATB) is an attempt to meet that goal.

What is an ATB and how does it make my travel a holiday?

ATB countries are being created with Singapore and Hong Kong being early adaptors with another 12 countries including Japan exploring what conditions are required to join. What ATB brings to the travel space is significant reduction of restrictions on the leisure traveler (Tourist). In the ATB case, travelers between the ATB countries are still required to submit a negative PCR result before departure and to be retest upon arrival. However, with negative result on arrival, travelers are allowed to enter the ATB country without being subject to any quarantine, a stay-home requirement, or a fixed itinerary, each of the three are absolute requirements for the tourist travel sector.

The case of Hawaii

Hawaii is one direction many countries may follow. Effective on the 15th of October 2020, non-essential travel (Tourism, Recreation, Entertainment) is allowed through the main entry ports of Hawaii, including inter-island travel either after a 14-day quarantine or completing Hawaii's online Safe Travels e-Form Registrar. The Program includes the traveler’s PCR test result and other health declaration information. The State accepts only results issued by TRUSTED TESTING AND TRAVEL PARTNERS. At this time, partners outside the US include Japan companies (as of 10/28/20) and a few airlines. Visitors must upload test results to the e-Form mentioned above and make various other health declarations, within 24 hours of embarking for the Hawaiian Islands. With some added risk, boarding the aircraft without results yet recorded under the above-mentioned Registrar is acceptable, but the traveler will be subject to a quarantine upon arrival in Hawaii until proof of a negative test is shown on the travelers Safe Travels portal.

What countries require the submission of health declaration data? What are the URLs? What is the mask wearing and social distancing requirements at departure and arrival? All such information is not so much DocuMonde’s published data, it is rather numerous links to government and large travel organizations providing the information as a trusted agent for disbursement. Other important questions are also answered by review of DocuMonde’s line-up of states and countries. So as part of your travel preparation, checking out DocuMonde’s “Entry Requirement” under the “Select your Destination” line-up will help you create a great travel experience.

 

Health Declaration Forms

Not long ago traveling internationally only required your passport and a credit card; Travel tickets and accommodations could be bought on site. Now under Covid-19 conditions, a Health Declaration Form and the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test are required. The World Health Organization (WHO) states the case of Yellow Fever: “Countries may require proof of vaccination from travelers as a condition of entry under certain circumstances and may take certain measures if an arriving traveler is not in possession of such a certificate.” In the era of Covid-19 similar points are being made. The vaccine for Yellow Fever has been available for 70years and is effective for life. Covid-19 vaccines are not with us yet. Further, currently there is no known to this author published data on Covid-19 vaccines term of effectiveness, be it for one season or for life or anything in between.

Many countries are adding to their existing e-waiver / e-arrival form or revising their earlier paper version forms by incorporating additional health information. In Asia pre-Covid-19, there were two health declaration forms in use, although not mandatory. At this writing, ten countries have added health declaration information to their existing on-line form or launched a new registrar e-form.

A few countries that have made the change

For example, Canada and Singapore have added to their existing compulsory an e-waiver / e-arrival form. China, Hawaii, Macau , and Taiwan have launched new Health Declaration e-form registration sites.

What type of new information is being sought?

For Asia, Singapore is a good example of the direction countries are taking. Until 2019 Singapore required all non-resident arrivals to submit an Arrival Card to Immigration which included very limited health information. Late 2019, the country began the transition to an e-Arrival form platform. This e-platform enabled Singapore to quickly expand immigration information to include health related traveler declarations. By early summer 2020, Singapore added to its e-Arrival form compulsory health declaration information that includes:

• Are you diagnosed or suspected to have COVID-19 infection in the past 21 days?
• Did you visit any hospital in the last 14 days?

General Health information request is increasing

More countries are now seeking travelers’ health information at or before arrival. The Covid-19 vaccine and booster shot (if required) is becoming part of that health data. We can predict that if a vaccine becomes effective for a 3-5year minimum term, it is likely to fall under the control of the WHO that will administer a general depository of health declarations for international check-in counters and immigration departments much like the USA ESTA registration works but in this case that the traveler is immunized against Covid-19 before proceeding on to immigration clearance.

Today, besides your passport and credit card, an updated Health Declaration form is going to be the norm with submission by mostly e-forms as part of the pre-boarding process. DocuMonde’s site provides greater details on 16 (so far) landed locations. Details such as where to get your Covid-19 PCR test and how soon before departure, rules on mask wearing and social distancing at both the departure and arrival points, etc. are informed.

All such information is not so much DocuMonde’s published data, it is rather numerous links to government and large travel organizations providing the information as a trusted agent for disbursement. Other important questions are also answered by review of DocuMonde’s line-up of states and countries. So as part of your travel preparation, checking out DocuMonde’s “Entry Requirement” under the “Select your Destination” line-up will help you create a great travel experience.

 

Electronic Travel Authorizations:

What to expect if you want to apply for an ESTA, ETA, entry visa, or arrival card online?

If you have traveled to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, or Sri Lanka for example you know that even visa exempt travelers often need to complete electronic travel authorizations to fly to certain countries. These forms must be submitted online and are confirmed before receiving your Boarding Pass. This also makes things quick, easy, and saves time at embarkation/immigration, but it can be confusing to figure out what is needed and how to apply.

Further complicating things are language and currency barriers. While official websites and forms are in English and a few other languages and processing fees are charged in local currencies, international travelers may feel more comfortable accessing and adding the information in their own language. You may also prefer to pay in your own currency in order to maintain transparency around exchange rates and additional service fees.

To help you figure out which form you need and when you should enlist the help of a professional third-party service, we’ll break down the most common electronic travel authorization forms as well as a number of common entry visas and arrival cards that can now be submitted online.

ESTA, ETA, eTA, ETAS…what’s the difference?

Electronic system travel authorization generally refers to an online platform in which travelers who are nationals of countries exempt from visa requirements apply for travel authorization to the country of destination. It is a system managed by the ministries and agencies of each destination country. The names differ slightly from country to country, and the abbreviations of the alphabet are similar, so at first glance it is difficult to understand, but please refer to the following information.

USA, ESTA

The most commonly searched electronic travel authorization is the U.S. Electronic System for Travel Authorization or ESTA, required by citizens of visa waiver program countries, Japan included, prior to boarding an aircraft with debarkation in (including Hawaii, for example. If you are transiting through the US by aircraft, an ESTA is required and should be applied for 72-hours before departure. An ESTA is not necessary but is strongly recommended for travel to Guam, and it is not necessary if traveling to the Northern Marianas (also known as Saipan), but completion of I-736 and I-94 forms are required and available here. If you are traveling to the US by land from Canada, or Mexico, an ESTA is not required. The US Government’s ESTA website charges a service fee of US $14.

Under normal circumstances the ESTA application is approved within 24-hours of online submission. If approved it expires 2-years from the approval date or expiration date of the passport, whichever is earlier and is applicable for multiple entries for up to a 90-day stay, including sides trips to Canada and Mexico, for tourism and/or general business.

Canadian eTA

The Canadian Electronic Travel Authorization or eTA applies to citizens of visa waiver program countries, Japan included, prior to boarding an aircraft with debarkation in Canada or to transit through Canada. Arrival by land or sea does not required an eTA. Canada’s Government eTA website charges a service fee of CAD $7.

Under normal circumstances the eTA application is approved within minutes of online submission. If approved it expires 5-years from the approval date or expiration date of the passport, whichever is earlier and is applicable for multiple entries for up to a 180-day stay, for tourism, general business or study.

Australian ETA (or ETAS)

The Australian Electronic Travel Authority System (ETA), sometimes referred to as ETAS applies to citizens of visa waiver program countries, Japan included, prior to boarding an aircraft with debarkation in Australia. Australia’s Government eTA website charges a service fee of AUD $20.

Under normal circumstances the eTA application is approved within minutes of online submission. If approved it expires 1-year from the approval date or expiration date of the passport, whichever is earlier and is applicable for multiple entries for up to a 90-day stay, for tourism and general business. However, the maximum duration of stay for study is 90-days under each ETA issue.

New Zealand eTA (NZeTA)

The New Zealand Electronic Travel Authorization or NZeTA applies to citizens of visa waiver program countries, Japan included, prior to boarding an aircraft with debarkation in New Zealand. Cruise ship passengers need only an NZeTA to travel to or transit through New Zealand.

New Zealand’s Government NZeTA website charges a service fee of NZD $9 when using its free app, or NZD $12 if filled in online. The government also requires an International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) for a fee of NZD $35, a charge added to the NZeTA service fee.

Under normal circumstances the NZeTA application is approved within minutes of online submission. If approved it expires 2-years from the approval date or the expiration date of the passport, whichever is earlier and is applicable for multiple entries for up to a 90-day stay for tourism, general business and study.

Sri Lanka ETA

The Sri Lankan Electronic Travel Authorization or ETA applies to nationalities seeking double/multiple entry visits of up to 30-days each to Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka’s Government ETA website charges a service fee of US $35 for tourists and US $40 for business ETA, while the Transit ETA is free of charge. (Transit ETAs allow for two days to transit through the country.) Children under the age of 12 travel free of charge.

Under normal circumstances the ETA application is approved within 72-hours of online submission. Tourist and Business ETAs visits can be extended to 6-months within the country.

So, there you have it, the main electronic travel authorizations and very briefly their applicable conditions. Still, it pays to do your research first. Take advantage of DocuMonde’s published data, numerous links to government and large travel organizations providing the information as a trusted agent for disbursement. Important questions are answered by review of DocuMonde’s line-up of states and countries. So as part of your travel preparation, checking out DocuMonde’s “Entry Requirement” under the “Select your Destination” line-up will help you create a great travel experience. So, don’t let the preparations for arrival or immigration worries tarnish your experience. Try DocuMonde, we’re here to make your travel experience a breeze.

 

Visa exemption, entry visa, arrival card online

A visa waiver (exemption) refers to an electronic system travel authorization better known as ESTA and abbreviations of the alphabet that are similar. The system sole purpose is to allow only those from a predetermined list of nations to arrive and to collect biographic information and answers various other questions to determine eligibility to arrive and to electronically link the traveler’s passport to the system data.
While checking in at the airport or seaport, the check-in staff can electronically confirm that the traveler has been prescreened to disembark. Importantly, the authorization does not determine whether a traveler is admissible or not to the destination, immigration officers determine admissibility upon travelers’ arrival.

This electronic system for travel authorization began with Australia’s enactment in 1996. In 2009 the US introduced a similar system. Then came Canada and New Zealand and a few other starts and stops by other nations.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka has an entry visa online, and Cambodia, Taiwan , and Singapore have an arrival card online. There are official apps for Singapore arrival cards and New Zealand visa exemption applications. In addition, an increasing number of countries are starting to issue an e-visa.

After the Covid-19 era, the number of online travel authorizations will increase rapidly. And it is expected that there will be more opportunities to electronically present health information, such as vaccination certificates, during the pre-boarding process.

Preparation of documents required for overseas travel...

For a one-off personal trip, those who are accustomed to it may find it less difficult to apply for an ESTA, immigration visa, or create an online immigration card while reading the official government website of the destination country. However, reading a foreign language website is still difficult. On the other hand, if you travel frequently, you may find it troublesome to apply and create each time. This is especially true if you have to apply for/fill in information for other people at the same time during a family or group trip.

If possible, we at DocuMonde want to make the troublesome preparation as simple as possible and spend some time preparing for a fun trip. DocuMonde service can handle the creation and application of these documents at one go. Our platform is bilingual with English and Japanese pages. You can switch from English (or local language) and local currency on the website of the government of each country to Japanese, and proceed with the process of creating and applying the currency in Japanese yen.

How to apply varies from country to country, but our DocuMonde website organizes and communicates your requirements. If you are online, you can do the application process (from input to submission) on our website. Unlike the general proxy application, the feature of our service is that you can see for yourself that your information is embedded in the final format.

In addition, even for conventional paper documents that have not been made online, you can also fill in the items from our website and we will print it on regular paper and send the completed document to you. (Even if you are online, we will send you a printed copy by service.)

Another benefit for repeaters is increased efficiency. Your information will be stored securely and will be loaded immediately upon your next ESTA or document preparation, so you only have to enter your new travel information.

As mentioned above, if you are worried about preparing documents for overseas travel, or if you are accustomed to it but the number of people accompanying you make it difficult, please consider to use DocuMonde immigration document creation / application platform and have a pleasant trip.