No..to go to the BVI you will need actual passports...

Alright,

bnsilly is not accurate in the statement made. You CAN travel to the BVI from the US Virgin Islands with a Birth Certificate. It must be a original or a certified copy (raised seal) of an original and it may only be used in place of a passport as long as you are traveling by SEA and not by AIR. If you are under 18 you need not have a picture ID, over 18 will need a gov't issued picture ID.

-Josh

My knowledge comes from the fact that I am a charter boat owner and I enter the BVI everyday for work with my Birth Certificate so as not to fill up my passport with stamps.

oh man.. u mean i COULD have gone into the BVIs with just our Birth Certs? 🙁

oh well.. now we'll have to do that next trip! 😀 we're already plannin a return visit weeeeee

Latest info about passport requirements to the BVI by boat:

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1079.html

Alright,

bnsilly is not accurate in the statement made. You CAN travel to the BVI from the US Virgin Islands with a Birth Certificate. It must be a original or a certified copy (raised seal) of an original and it may only be used in place of a passport as long as you are traveling by SEA and not by AIR. If you are under 18 you need not have a picture ID, over 18 will need a gov't issued picture ID.

-Josh

My knowledge comes from the fact that I am a charter boat owner and I enter the BVI everyday for work with my Birth Certificate so as not to fill up my passport with stamps.

Thanks Josh...thought about that after I posted(we flew in)....sorry for the misinformation...
Saw you guys at the Willie T in December...have a great day...Hey, if you ever need an assistant, let me know...;)

Although by government law you only need a birth certificate with a raised seal and a government issued i.d., I have spoken with many people who have traveled to the BVI by boat from ST. Thomas, and they have said that they had to have a passport. There were other people on the trip with them that did not have passports that were not allowed on the island. Check out Tripadvisor and look on the St. Thomas forums and you will see all kinds of info on passports. You might get lucky with just the birth certificate, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. Good luck and have a wonderful trip!

Honestly, guys please listen to me when I say it is perfectly fine to travel by boat between the USVI and the BVI with a raised seal birth certificate. I do this everyday for a living (charter boat captain). I use my birth certificate and Virgin Islands drivers license every single day. There is no gambling or luck involved with using a birth certificate. It is a completely safe and reasonable way to travel between the USVI and BVI by boat. Under 18 needs no photo ID, over 18 needs additional gov't issued phot ID.

As for the comments you have read about people being turned away. . IF that were true the entire boat would have to have turned around as you cannot simply have some guests go ashore and others stay on the boat. It sounds to me that they were probably on a boat that individually choose to only accept passports for some reason (probably because they do not do many BVI charters and did not know better).

If you don't want to trust me call the BVI Immagrations Office (1-284-494-3471) on Tortola or Jost van Dyke and then call the US Customs office on St. John (340-776-6741) and ask them personally. Honestly, I have a HUGE interest in giving people an excellent day while they are down here on vacation. It is my business and if I were ruining family vacations by telling them they could do a charter with us to the BVI and then turning the trip around I would be out of business pretty quickly based on my reputation.

-Josh

I would guess that the people who were turned away (and this is, after all, only heresay and I think we've yet to see anyone post on this subject who has actually been turned away) had NO identification at all and were probably on a private boat captaining themselves or else were chartering and captained by someone uneducated to the rules.

Even though the identification rules applicable to US citizens LEAVING the USVI to return to the mainland are clear, many travellers aren't asked to produce the documents. In the case of the BVI the rules are quite clear and are observed - passports ARE required for entry by air but until the rullng changes, that ruling as repeated by Josh holds true for those entering by boat from the USVI.

It does look like that passports will be required later this year - this is copied from the US State Department web site.

ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: For information on travel to the British Virgin Islands, travelers should contact the BVI Department of Immigration at 1-284-494-3471. Visit the Embassy of the British Government web site at http://www.britainusa.com for the most current visa information.

All Americans traveling to and from the United States by air must have a passport. This requirement will be extended to sea travel, including ferry service, by the summer of 2008, except on cruises and other sea trips originating and ending in the United States. Until then, travelers returning from the British Virgin Islands by sea must have government-issued photo identification and a document showing their U.S. citizenship (for example, a birth certificate or certificate of nationalization). Further information on upcoming changes to U.S. passport policy can be found on the Bureau of Consular Affairs web site at http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html. We strongly encourage all American citizen travelers to apply for a U.S. passport well in advance of anticipated travel. American citizens can visit travel.state.gov or call 1-877-4USA-PPT (1-877-487-2778) for information on how to apply for their passportsThe U.S. Department of State recommends traveling with a valid U.S. passport to avoid delays or misunderstandings. A lost or stolen passport is also easier to replace when outside of the United States than other evidence of citizenship.

this line here seems to make me think that day sails and such will still be ok

except on cruises and other sea trips originating and ending in the United States

This line here seems to make me think that day sails and such will no longer be ok:

"This requirement will be extended to sea travel, including ferry service..."

I have complete faith in charter captain's advise. If I know i am travelling anywhere why not spend extra to get passport? While he does not want to get all the stamps on his passport daily i would love to have BVI on mine.

Honestly, guys please listen to me when I say it is perfectly fine to travel by boat between the USVI and the BVI with a raised seal birth certificate. I do this everyday for a living (charter boat captain). I use my birth certificate and Virgin Islands drivers license every single day. There is no gambling or luck involved with using a birth certificate. It is a completely safe and reasonable way to travel between the USVI and BVI by boat. Under 18 needs no photo ID, over 18 needs additional gov't issued phot ID.

As for the comments you have read about people being turned away. . IF that were true the entire boat would have to have turned around as you cannot simply have some guests go ashore and others stay on the boat. It sounds to me that they were probably on a boat that individually choose to only accept passports for some reason (probably because they do not do many BVI charters and did not know better).

If you don't want to trust me call the BVI Immagrations Office (1-284-494-3471) on Tortola or Jost van Dyke and then call the US Customs office on St. John (340-776-6741) and ask them personally. Honestly, I have a HUGE interest in giving people an excellent day while they are down here on vacation. It is my business and if I were ruining family vacations by telling them they could do a charter with us to the BVI and then turning the trip around I would be out of business pretty quickly based on my reputation.

-Josh

Honestly, guys please listen to me when I say it is perfectly fine to travel by boat between the USVI and the BVI with a raised seal birth certificate. I do this everyday for a living (charter boat captain). I use my birth certificate and Virgin Islands drivers license every single day. There is no gambling or luck involved with using a birth certificate. It is a completely safe and reasonable way to travel between the USVI and BVI by boat. Under 18 needs no photo ID, over 18 needs additional gov't issued phot ID.

As for the comments you have read about people being turned away. . IF that were true the entire boat would have to have turned around as you cannot simply have some guests go ashore and others stay on the boat. It sounds to me that they were probably on a boat that individually choose to only accept passports for some reason (probably because they do not do many BVI charters and did not know better).

If you don't want to trust me call the BVI Immagrations Office (1-284-494-3471) on Tortola or Jost van Dyke and then call the US Customs office on St. John (340-776-6741) and ask them personally. Honestly, I have a HUGE interest in giving people an excellent day while they are down here on vacation. It is my business and if I were ruining family vacations by telling them they could do a charter with us to the BVI and then turning the trip around I would be out of business pretty quickly based on my reputation.

-Josh

ummmmm
I think lioninthesun forgot to include the requirement of a government issued photo I.D. along with a valid birth certificate with raised seal that proves where you were born. Presenting only one or the other is not currently good enough. If you don't present both, you will need the passport.

Hey guys,
i like what josh said (lionindasun) he is correct and its the man everyday job.

ok here is my problem, i live in Florida, i do not have a green card, i want to visit the BVI so badly, will be in USVI soon, i have a valid US travel Document, i am still waiting on my Green card. i have all other US ID card and Driver license.
I have to visit the BVI, its abt Love...can anyone please advise how do i get there....

Josh (lionindasun) can you please reply to me or if you can e-mail me, i would appreciate it so much

my E-mail : topshottas _16 at yahoo com

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