What kind of ID do I need for USVI?

[GrayFal]

Is my drivers license enough?
...I need to send my passport off for renewal this week so I won't have it.
I couldn't tell from the passport website.......
Does anyone know?
TIA

 

[shell_man89]

It depends!

If you are going to and from the USVI you will only be required to have a license. If you want to visit an island outside of USVI (ie the BVI's) you will need a passport.

Copied from the Westin St John website:

TRAVEL ADVISORY

If traveling outside of the United States or a U.S. territory, a passport or other secure document will be required. For example, a person may travel to and from the United States to the U.S. Virgin islands without a passport or other secure document, but under proposed regulations, a passport or other secure document would be required to re-enter the U.S. Virgin Islands from the British Virgin Islands or another country as of December 31, 2005.

 

[Dave M]

Those proposed rules were deferred to December 31, 2006. Thus, for your trip in 2006, you won't need a passport. A driver's license will be fine for USVI, but not for other non-U.S. islands.

If you make such a side trip, you will need other proof of citizenship, such as an original birth certificate with the raised seal. The problem normally is not entry to that island. It's upon returning to the U.S.

See this State Department link for more current info - http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/brochures/brochures_1229.html

 

[GrayFal]

Those proposed rules were deferred to December 31, 2006. Thus, for your trip in 2006, you won't need a passport. A driver's license will be fine for USVI, but not for other non-U.S. islands.

If you make such a side trip, you will need other proof of citizenship, such as an original birth certificate with the raised seal. The problem normally is not entry to that island. It's upon returning to the U.S.

See this State Department link for more current info - http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/brochures/brochures_1229.html

So I am okay with ONLY the drivers license (don't have a raised seal BC) .....no side trips this year....I will read your link in the morning ...Thanks!

 

[GrayFal]

If you are going to and from the USVI you will only be required to have a license. If you want to visit an island outside of USVI (ie the BVI's) you will need a passport.

Copied from the Westin St John website:

TRAVEL ADVISORY

If traveling outside of the United States or a U.S. territory, a passport or other secure document will be required. For example, a person may travel to and from the United States to the U.S. Virgin islands without a passport or other secure document, but under proposed regulations, a passport or other secure document would be required to re-enter the U.S. Virgin Islands from the British Virgin Islands or another country as of December 31, 2005.

Thank you as well!

 

[tdberry]

From past experience, it might be a good idea to have a copy of your birth certificate so you can prove U.S. citizenship. We have always taken them , but have only been asked for them by Customs once. I think it is especially important if you have children traveling with you.

 

[caribbean]

Birth Certificate or voters card has always been required in addition to a governement issued photo ID. The new regulations requiring a passport has been delayed a year. See below taken directly form the USVI government website:

"Passports for U.S. Citizens are not required for the U.S. Virgin Islands, but you must be prepared to show evidence of citizenship upon leaving (such as a birth certificate and photo ID). Citizens of countries other than the U.S. should follow U.S. travel regulations. Travel outside the U.S. Virgin Islands requires a birth certificate or valid passport. Health certificates are not required if you're entering from the U.S. or Puerto Rico; citizens entering from other countries should follow the same guidelines as for the mainland U.S."

Note that prior to obtaining my passport, on my twice a year trips, I was asked for ID every time I entered the US when coming back from STT. So be sure to take it along. If you haven't been asked for it I think you have been lucky.

 

[GrayFal]

Thanks everyone....I have decided to bring my passport to STT - in the meanwhile, I just ordered a Birth Certificate from NYC online - they said I should have it by 2/6/06...When I get it, I will send in for my new passport )expires 4/06) and bring my new "official'' birth certificate and drivers license with me to Mexico in February...I should then have my new passport for my trip to Aruba in March....

Thanks for all the advice.

From http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html
New Requirements for Travelers Between the United States and the Western Hemisphere


The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 requires that by January 1, 2008, travelers to and from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Panama, Mexico and Canada have a passport or other secure, accepted document to enter or re-enter the United States. In order to facilitate the implementation of this requirement, the Administration is proposing to complete it in phases following a proposed timeline, which will be published in the Federal Register in the near future.

This is a change from prior travel requirements and will affect all United States citizens entering the United States from countries within the Western Hemisphere who do not currently possess valid passports. This new requirement will also affect certain foreign nationals who currently are not required to present a passport to travel to the United States. Most Canadian citizens, citizens of the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda, and to a lesser degree, Mexican citizens will be affected by the implementation of this requirement.

 

[jme]

keep copies....

A great suggestion I heard years ago, which we still practice while traveling today, is that one should always have at least TWO copies of each & all family documents (passports, relevant ID's, etc) in TWO SEPARATE locations when traveling.....such as : if you take a nice camera with case, put a copy in the camera case with you as a carry-on item (I always keep the camera(s) as a carry-on) ....and the another copy in wife's purse.......or maybe in luggage. The copies at least help you in a foreign country if you need to contact the US Embassy to help with stolen or missing documents/ID's . jme

 

[DavidnRobin]

Also - notify your credit card company(s) that you will be out of the US on the specific dates. I was sailing in St Kitts, and used a credit card to make a phone call and my credit card agency put a stop on my credit card. When I went to use it next time, on another island - it had a stop on it!!!! I had to borrow money to make a phone call from a hotel to take the stop off (yikes!) - could have been a major problem.

 

[Sandcrab]

Also - notify your credit card company(s) that you will be out of the US on the specific dates. I was sailing in St Kitts, and used a credit card to make a phone call and my credit card agency put a stop on my credit card. When I went to use it next time, on another island - it had a stop on it!!!! I had to borrow money to make a phone call from a hotel to take the stop off (yikes!) - could have been a major problem.

Didn't know you could tell CC companies that you would be traveling or that they even cared, but I do know back in 2001 my loving wife purchased ahem...a few thousand dollars worth of jewelry at Diamonds International in Antigua. Apparently, it was to make up for my years of snowmobiles, ATV's, SUV's, midlife crisis cars, and Captain Morgan. Anyway, when we got back, our phone had a bunch of messages on it from Visa wondering if our purchases were legit. Thankfully, or maybe not, they never cut us off the Visa nipple. Sounds like a good idea to let them know.

 

[geekette]

Yes, we just called one of ours and they told us it was good we did - they would have cut us off after the first purchase.

Maybe if you are a frequent international traveller it wouldn't be a big deal, but we've never made any purchase outside of the US, so it would have sent red flags up.

The bank, also, told us this was a wise move, as after one foreign ATM transaction, they would've cut off our debit card.

Don't forget to mention intermediary stops (for example, we're going to the Canary Islands, but will layover, both ways, in London -- good chance we'll purchase stuff there, too!).