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The Time Limit for Your COVID Test to Reenter the US is Now One Day
Taking a Cheap (or Free) Test within One Day to Return to the US? No Prob!
With the Omicron variant making it's way around, the latest regulations for entering the United States from abroad require that you present a negative test certificate taken at most one day before your reentry to the US.
This might sound daunting to some, but it's really a piece of cake that requires minimal effort. Learn about the best ways to get your test below.
Details
The main key to getting a fast and cheap (or free) test for your trip back is to go with an antigen test. For the time being, most antigen tests are accepted.
The PCR test, though considered the gold standard of COVID tests, generally costs much more and results take much longer to get. Some places will offer expedited PCR tests, but mostly for ludicrous prices.
Bring At-Home Tests with You from the US
The easiest, most straightforward option is Abbott’s BinaxNOW™ COVID-19 Ag At-Home Test. You can use this test anywhere in the world with internet, and you get a valid certificate to reenter the US about 15 minutes after self-administering the test.
A certified guide will show you through the test in a quick call, and that's really all there is to it. It's rumored that the federal government may make this free across the country, and some states and insurance policies will already cover them. You can grab 6 of them for $150 here. Be sure to purchase the ones we link to, because other BinaxNOW tests are not approved for entry to the United States.
Research Low-Cost or Free Testing Options
Many countries offer free antigen tests to not only their own citizens, but visitors too. I won't cover every country here, but generally a quick google search will tell you if you can a) get a free, publicly funded test and b) use if for travel.
The BinaxNOW tests are about the same as the average price of an antigen test in most places, and just simpler. Again, if you can manage to get a free test, well, free's always nice. Germany, for example, offers free antigen tests that can be used for travel, while in the UK, the government strictly states that public, free tests may not be used for travel.
To sum it up, we recommend grabbing a pack of BinaxNOW tests if you're considering international travel in the next six months. And remember to always check the CDC website for accurate info as well as your airline's website.