miles_wo954

I didn't apply for a passport because I was told it wasn't necessary for St. Thomas. Now I'm concerned that it's going to take much longer than if I had a passport. How much longer does it take without a passport? Thanks!

Susan

virginia

hi susan, in fact you will not need a passport to travel to st. thomas. it is a US territory. if you want to travel to any of the bvi's, while you are there, you will need one. not sure what you feel will take longer?

doug_stallings

There is no passport control in St. Thomas, but you must carry proof of citizenship. When you check in for your flight, the airline will check your photo ID and citizenship (government-issued, official birth certificate). But that's all. When you get back, it will be the same thing, but you do this on the way out of St. Thomas (including customs), not back in the US. But no passport is necessary. You will not, however, be able to travel to Tortola or the Baths in Virgin Gorda, or even Jost Van Dyke, so keep that in mind.

leavingsoon

Are you certain that St. John isn't also on that list, despite being a US territory?

I departed in the morning from St. John and the transport from the ferry dropped us in an immigration area where they checked our passports before letting us into the airport. So, if you are coming straight from St. John, you may have a problem.

beachplum

The same rules apply for all the US Virgin Islands. It is likely the poster was traveling with those coming from the BVI so that immigation would ask for passports (even tho it seems that when arriving by water, technically no passport is required until Jan 2008.) You certainly don't need one to go between STJ and STT.
There really is no delay if you don't have a passport if you have a certified copy (gov't issued) of the birth certificate and a photo id (also gov't issued)- usually a drivers license - unless there is a question about your proof of citizenship.
However using a passport is certainly quicker - a swipe and you are done if that is what you are questioning. The waiting period to get a passport has signifigantly increased if that is the "longer" you are referring to.

There is immigration on St. Thomas, I believe, due to the international cruise ship travelers as well as those ferrys that run between Charlotte Amalie, Tortola and the rest of the BVI. Some do stop at Cruz Bay when re-entering the US but there are those that do not. There is no immigration facilities at Red Hook.
A passport is the easiest way to do it and does avoid any hassles or questions and you'll need one to travel anywhere else so maybe it's time to get one.

doug_stallings

Ferries from the BVI almost always make a stop in St. John on the way to St. Thomas, whether you are going to Charlotte Amalie or Red Hook. That's probably why you saw immigration agents there.

But St. John itself is NOT a foreign country. It's a U.S. territory and does not require a passport.

However Beachplum is mistaken (or at least confused) about the passport requirement in the BVI. It has nothing at all to do with departing or arriving by water. The BVI requires passports to get INTO the BVI. Period. Has for several years.

CaribbeanSoul

That isnt' true, Doug. A Birth Certificate and Driver's License has worked fine and will work fine even under the new US Passport laws. Since the traveler is traveling back into the USVI from the BVI by water, a Birth Certificate and DL will work until 2008 as beachplum has indicated.

CaribbeanSoul

I meant to add traveling to the BVI, as well, a Birth Cert and DL works for US Citizens. It has worked for years that way.

CaribbeanSoul

This is from the Consulary Information Sheet on the State Dept Website for the British Virgin Islands:

ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: For tourist stays of up to six months, U.S. citizens need a valid U.S. passport or other proof of U.S. citizenship (original or certified birth certificate, Certificate of Naturalization or Certificate of Citizenship as well as photo identification), onward or return tickets, and sufficient funds for their stay.

lt20

But if you are leaving the BVI by air you will now have to have a passport to get back into the US.

Reisender

Really, anyone that is planning on traveling anywhere should have a passport it seems to me, unless one never plans to leave the 50 states. Even to the islands it is useful as it is easy once there to go elsewhere where you must have a passport.

beachplum

If one flys into the BVI or returns to the US from the BVI by air a passport is required. The confusion comes from the exception for those arriving by water - a loophole created for the cruise industry.

From Smith's Ferry in St. Thomas:
You will be able to travel between St. Thomas and Tortola with just a birth certificate and a government issued picture I.D. The ferry service is exempt from the passport rule until 2008.

HOWEVER, and it is a big however, any immigration station can conforum to the requirement prior to that date and it MAY BE that Cruz Bay has done that. It was NOT required in March as people had gone to Virgin Gorda with nothing more than a bc and photo id on the day I returned from VG via ferry.

Cruise ship pax are cleared by immigration by the sea plane dock in Charlotte Amalie but the cap't just presents a list of all passengers and as I said, those ferrys (charters, etc) that come directly from the BVI, clear in there also.

Personally I never travel without the passport. Over the years I've seen people turned away at check-in stateside just trying to get on a flight to SJU or STT even tho a passport was not required and scrambling to get the correct paperwork or arguning with the airline policy or the uninformed agent.
Also, some states use watermarks (not raised seal) for certified copies of birth certificates and I can only imagine someone being denied boarding a ferry.

The BVI's are having difficuly with long waits and a crush of people applying for passports as is the US passport agencies swamped with long waits for passports. It just makes it much more convenient and there are no questions asked when you present a passport. I have heard of absolutely no one being denied passage between the USVI and BVI because they had no passport if traveling by water - and I highly recommend a day trip or sailing for a day to the BVI's for anyone going to the USVI's.

Besides, having a passport opens the rest of the Caribbean Even going from the Dutch side to the French side in SXM, there are now signs (but no enforcement) that US citizens must have a passport!

miles_wo954

Thanks, everyone, for your great responses!