July 10, 2006 – Time is running out for travelers without passports who plan to head to international destinations, including the nearby British Virgin Islands. Effective Dec. 31, they'll need a passport to get back into the United States and its territories.
U.S. citizens won't need a passport to travel between the United States mainland and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
"But it's always easier to have one than not have one," said Celeste Lawrence of the Lieutenant Governor's Office.
The U.S. State Department's Web site clearly spells this out: "The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative will not affect travel between the United States and its territories. U.S. citizens traveling between the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa will continue to be able to use established forms of identification to board flights and for entry," the Web site indicates.
It does not list established forms of identification, but Beverly Nicholson, president of the V.I. Hotel and Tourism Association, said this includes a birth certificate with a raised seal and a government-issued photo identification.
The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative mandates that travelers have a passport when entering the United States and its territories from countries in the region referred to as the Americas, the Caribbean and Bermuda. This represents a change from previous requirements.
This change came about in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
"The goal is to strengthen border security and facilitate entry into the United States for U.S. citizens and legitimate foreign visitors," reads the U.S. State Department Web site.
Nicholson acknowledged that there is confusion around the issue. "The American public is so geographically challenged," she said. She said that many people don't understand that while the Virgin Islands is located in the Caribbean, it is a U.S. territory.
People traveling to the United States and its territories after a trip to other Caribbean destinations will need passports to enter.
Nicholson said the organization will soon send out an e-mail to 35,000 travel agents noting that a passport is the preferred document for travel when returning to the U.S. mainland from the Virgin Islands, but visitors to the Virgin Islands can clear U.S. Customs and Border Protection by other official forms of identification.
Travelers to the U.S. mainland clear U.S. Customs and Border Protection at St. Thomas or St. Croix airports rather than when they reach mainland airports.
Nicholson said that in the last six months, the number of questions received about this issue by phone or e-mail now total about five or six a day.
"It used to be two questions a week," she said.
Nicholson said that the fact that people can return to the U.S. mainland without a passport in hand should benefit the territory. She said this would be particularly important for people booking last-minute trips.
"It certainly does make the Virgin Islands more attractive," she said.
She said that there were some problems with Border Patrol agents at the territory's airports giving travelers a hard time when they presented documentation other than passports, but that issue seems to be resolved.
Brian Modeste, an aid to Delegate to Congress Donna M. Christensen, said that when the issue first arose, the Delegate's Office clarified this with the State and Homeland Security Departments.
He said the delegate received confirmation that passports were not required for U.S. citizens traveling to the U.S. mainland or territories.
Lt. Gov. Vargrave Richards sent out a news release Monday reminding residents that the new passport rule starts Dec. 31.
While U.S. citizens can obtain passports through the Passport Office at the Lieutenant Governor's Office, foreign nationals must contact their respective governments.
People must apply in person for their first passports, if their passport were lost, stolen or damaged, if their passports expired more than 15 years ago, if their passports were issued when they were under age 16, or they if don't have documentation for a name change. Renewals can be done by mail.
Children must have their own passports.
An initial passport costs $97 for anyone over 16. Those under age 16 pay $82. Renewals are $67.
The passport offices are located across from the Lt. Governor's Administrative Office at Government House on St. Croix and at the Lt. Governor's Office at Nisky Center on St. Thomas. From 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, a Passport Office representative visits the Administrator's Office at the Battery on St. John.
Visit www.travel.state.gov/passport for information.
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