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Okay, I was in STJ/STT in 2008 and had no passport. No problem. I've heard it's still that way until today - a USAirways employee told me that we need passports to RETURN to the mainland. My wife and 2 kids are leaving on March 18 '09 to stay in St. John and have NO passports. Anybody recently return from STT without passports or no anything about it?
Just returned and the 4 of us only needed our valid drivers licenses 🙂
We just got back on Tuesday and had a hard time with a customs agent. He was an older heavy set man with glasses. He was very close not letting my daughter's friend get on the plane with us. She is 12 and had a birth certificate, note from parents and insurance id card. He was telling us he did not like the fact she had a different last name and about the Amber alert. After searching the database for about half an hour the only way he let her go with us is that she had her school yearbook with a picture of herself and my daughter. So if you are taking a minor that is not your child be prepared for lots of questions and documentation. We were close to getting detained.
That is really sad they would do that to a 12 year old.... we had no problems whatsoever but the entire ordeal was a total fiasco and there were some agents that tried to intimidate people *-)
Simply put, if you have one, bring it. It's not that hard. You're willing to bring the birth certificate but not the passport? Proving a point? IDK. Either way, per State Department regulation (to date) you must have a government issued I.D. and birth certificate, naturalization papers, etc. St. Thomas is considered a Port of Entry for the United States so you must clear customs before getting on the plane. There is no customs when you get to the states so it's for immigration purposes.
Tippi wrote:
If you're a woman and married your birth certificate will not have the same name ...in most cases. What does a woman do in this case? Voter's ID?
That's one of the big no no's. On the State Department website, it's one a form of identification that is not recognized.
The below was in today's paper. Click on to make larger to view.
Pay attention to the Passport Card qualifications. This card CAN be used in lieu of a "passport book" in the caribbean, canada & mexico for travel by land or water BUT can only be used as an official photo ID for air travel.
aquinob1, I don't think anyone is saying they don't want to bring one to prove a point...mine is expired, my husband and kids don't have one and we made last-minute travel plans. Just making sure we have the right documentation for our situation,
Sorry, but at this risk of incurring a little wrath here - this one is a no-brainer. There's one thing no surly got-up-on-the-wrong-side-of-the-fouton-this-morning customs agent can argue with and that's a current passport. Get them, keep them current, carry them whenever you travel by air, wherever you travel. If you have one, you don't have to worry about other documents that might work instead - at which counter with which agent. Processing times are much faster now, they are good for ten years; to us, they are just another cost of travel. Within ten years you may find a different place you want to travel that requires a passport. You may have an opportunity to take a day trip to the BVI and you'll be ready to go. The rules may change for the USVI but you won't have to worry about keeping up on that. And, for the fashionistas out there, there are a lot of really gorgeous passport covers available. 😀
So a marriage license is required if your birth certificate and i.d. do not match up?
Margy Z--we get it. We all need to get passports. Until we do, we are all hear to discuss what to do in the interim.
elroy2: that would be a good idea.
MargyZ - thanks.
Kpixie: there is no "discussion" really warranted. The rules are explicitly stated and if you do not have what MAY be required of you when exiting the territory to return to the mainland then you just might end up in the hands of an 'ornery immigration official. Caveat viator. Cheers!
Not to beat a dead horse but it seems like this is what we are doing. The customs agent know that not every American citizen will have a passport and no one is saying that you need one (I never said you did). Special circumstances are there, where some folks don't have one which is fine. As stated, the official requirements is gov. issued picture i.d., and certified birth certificate. Outside of that, it's not written into the law just yet.
one thing to pay attention to is the boarding requirement of your air or ocean carrier... always ask and never assume.
