Passport confusion?

[CruzBayB]

Well, my daughter's honeymoon has been booked... A House of Open Arms Villa in Coral Bay and we are so thrilled for them. Both first timers, we all know they will be in heaven! My question is this: Do they need a passport to travel back and forth from St John now? I thought they did, the groom says no, but then all the passport changes were happening right after my last trip to STJ so they didn't effect me... Also, does it matter if their connection is in San jaun or elsewhere as opposed to Miami? If they don't leave the airport then that shouldn't matter about their passports, right? Clearly, I'm confused, lol, HELP!

[Diana2]

No passport needed to travel back and forth to the USVI or Puerto Rico. A drivers license will work just fine. But ff you want to do a day trip to the BVI a passport is needed (I think). There was a loop hole that would allow travel by boat (not air) to and from the BVI but I'm not sure if that loop hole is still open or not.

[Ksea]

Passports make travel life so much easier. Im so glad we got ours even though they were not necessary for the VI trip. Just my 2 cents!

[Ksea]

Last I heard, the by boat BVI exception ended 12/31/07, but it could have changed again ?

[Diana2]

Ksea, I think the loop hole closes on 1/31/08. I was just looking on the State Department website but of course. as you might expect. it is not very clear.

I agree. The best ID is a passport.

[CruzBayB]

Thanks guys, I finally found the definitive answer on the state dept website. You are all right, no need for passports between us territories and the mainland for now. Later, it will be required as part of a post 9-11 security initiative thing but not at present. (and since puerto rico is a us territory it doesn't matter their either... just fyi

[traveler22]

I agree with Ksea that a passport makes traveling easier. The funny thing about going to the BVI's or elsewhere is that other countries will accept a drivers license and birth certificate, you need the passport to get BACK into the United States!

[jimg20]

For my 2 cents worth, I agree with my friend Ksee. I would advise them to make the preparations including the acquisition of the passports and, most importantly, relax and enjoy the entire experience.

The reasons to get a passport:

1. It is NOT required.

2. But having one makes the trip MUCH easier. The US Customs people are much more comfortable if you present a valid US passport. They will go through US customs coming and going from STT whether they go to BVI or not.

3. When we were there last May New Horizons II told us that a passport was required to go to the BVI.

Congratulations on the happy event and best wishes to the newly weds.

JIM

[lisa mcg]

They will definitely need a passport to travel between the USVI and BVI's if that's something that they will do. You never know when you might end up on Jost:), so I agree with everyone else....get one to be safe.

[savvy]

Last February, we were required to have passports to arrive by boat on Jost from STJ and go through customs upon our return to STJ.

[RickG]

The Immigration folks are not always up on the current State Department regulations. Bring CURRRENT drivers license and a birth certificate, or you could be delayed leaving.

Some tips, arrive at the airport 3 hours before departure and expect to spend 60-90 minutes in line.

Unless, you are doing carry-on only, have already checked-in AND have printed your boarding pass before leaving STJ. Then you can arrive 90 minutes before your flight, like we do. Of course, that means you cannot take home any booze.

Cheers, RickG

[nothintolose]

In June of 2007, SO went to BVI's with us only having a his birth certificate and a driver's license as he realized too late that he didn't know where he put his passport in all the post-K moving things around.

Don't know if that will be acceptable by this summer when we go back so if he doesn't find it soon, he will probably get another passport, but he had no trouble using it on that day trip or when we returned to New Orleans.