Passport requirements for travel to the Caribbean have changed! Click here to see the most up-to-date information.
US travel regulations have been changing over the past few years, so you may need a passport to go to the Caribbean even if you were able to travel without one in the past. Here are the details you need to know to plan your Caribbean adventure, including current requirements and upcoming changes.
Right now, whether or not you need a passport to go to the Caribbean depends in part on which Caribbean country you are traveling to. There are 17 Caribbean countries that are part of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI):
- Anguilla
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Aruba
- Bahamas
- Bermuda
- British Virgin Islands
- Cayman Islands
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- Grenada
- Jamaica
- Montserrat
- Netherlands Antilles
- St. Kitts and Nevis
- St. Lucia
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Turks and Caicos
Currently, if you are flying to any of these countries, you must have a US passport. However, if you are traveling by boat, all you need is government-issued photo identification and proof of citizenship (such as a birth certificate or naturalization certificate).
On June 1st, 2009, the final phase of the Western Hemisphere Travel initiative will go into effect. After this date, everyone traveling to these 17 countries, whether by air or by sea, will have to have a US passport to reenter the country. The only exceptions are as follows:
- Children under the age of 16 can use their birth certificates (either an original or a copy).
- Children aged 18 and under can use their birth certificates if they are on an organized, chaperoned trip with a school, church or sports team.
- Passengers on closed-loop cruises that begin and end at the same US port can use their birth certificates and photo ID.
If you are traveling to a Caribbean country that is not part of the WHTI, you need to have a passport no matter how old you are and no matter when or how you travel. The exceptions listed above are only for countries that are part of the WHTI. To view entry requirements for countries not on this list, check with the US Department of State.
If you need a passport to go to the Caribbean, travel experts recommend applying well in advance, at least 2 months prior to your departure date. If you’d like faster service that comes with a guarantee, a private passport expediting company can help you get your passport more quickly.
RushMyPassport.com offers several different pricing options for expedited passports to meet your budget and time constraints. Look over the options we offer and order an expedited passport to the Caribbean today!
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