This should clear it all up. A passport is apparently not required to re-enter the US by land or sea until 2008. However if you have applied for your passport and have not received it after a significant amount of time, you should contact your U.S. Congressman. His office will contact the State Department and expedite your application.

The proposed implementation timeline has two phases:

Beginning January 23, 2007, ALL persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling by air between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda will be required to present a valid passport, Air NEXUS card, or U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Document, or an Alien Registration Card, Form I-551, if applicable.

As early as January 1, 2008, ALL persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda by land or sea (including ferries), may be required to present a valid passport or other documents as determined by the Department of Homeland Security. While recent legislative changes permit a later deadline, the Departments of State and Homeland Security are working to meet all requirements as soon as possible. Ample advance notice will be provided to enable the public to obtain passports or passport cards for land/sea entries.

The passport requirement does NOT apply to U.S. citizens traveling to or returning directly from a U.S. territory. U.S. citizens returning directly from a U.S. territory are not considered to have left the United States and do not need to present a passport. U.S. territories include the following: Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Swains Island, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Well, I'm still sweating it? Profusely now! We leave in 18 days, I know it has been stated that we do not need it. But something tells me I want to have it just in case. Don't know why but "just because".
Mricco

I used to work for a Congressman. If you have 18 days, you will have it for sure by then if you give them a call.

Go to www.house.gov to see who your Representative is and how to contact his or her office. Let me know if you need any more help.

I always use my passport for ID when I travel. Even within the U.S. It's just easier that way.

I have 18 days to go and we applied for our passports on February 26th. The State Dept.'s site said ours is in process and and all I got when I made a number of attempts to call yesterday is the message saying "Goodbye".

I called my Congressman's office this morning and in less than two hours, a lady called back and said our passports were pulled from the que and I should have them via FedEx by May 19th. She said fortunately ours were being processed in New Hampshire and she had a contact there she could speak with.

Thank you for your info, I will make the call tomorrow and keep my fingers crossed.
Mricco

Well, first off when did VINOW change their site page, it threw me for a minute. I contacted my State Reps office today and am currently waiting to hear back from them. I think I kind of got the impression that I was putting them out asking for some help. So don't know what will happen. She did say that because of having to file for an updated birth dertficate for my husband that it would most likely be questionable whether it would get here in time. That makes me a little mad because they had it for 2 months before the problem was discovered. Something else I just realized, they also have our birth certficates!
mricco

I'm surprised your congressman/woman's office was not helpful. Consitiutent service is what most of them do best. It's they way they get reelected, helping citizens through the governmental maze.. I would go ahead and call one or the other of your state's senators.

And I'd remember this next year when elections roll around.

State Senators and Representatives can't help on this one. You have to call your United States Congressman, who will call the U.S. State Department and get your passport pulled out of the queue for you, just like someone else here mentioned.

If you still have 16-17 days (I think I did the math right), there is no reason that a Congressman cannot get your passport to you. When I was there, we could get them through in 24 hours if people were willing to stop by a passport center to pick them up on their way out of the country.

You won't get your birth certificates back without your passports, so aside from sweating it out or not going to the BVIs while you're down there, your Congressman is really your best bet.

If you want, you can e-mail me and I'll see if I have any other pointers for you. I don't know all the Members these days because it's been a while since I worked on the Hill, but I can try to point you in the right direction.

The lady I spoke with at my Congressman's (Mike Turner) office in SW Ohio was very pleasant and most helpful. When she returned my call to tell me they would be on their way, she asked me to please call her back and let her know whether or not I received them. Mr. Turner again has my vote at the next election.

I checked the State Dept's web site the day after I was told they would pull them and it shows they've been shipped.

16 DAYS!!!

Well good news, sort of. My husbands passport was mailed out yesterday and the gal in my State Reps office is calling back on Monday to see how my processing is coming. I guess I owe the office an apoligy. So the one I was really worried about is the least of worries, now to get mine here on time. I think that Deb (in the State Reps office) will pull this one off. So thankful to whomever gave me this info on this forum. Now will cross our fingers that all of the mosquitos are gone by the time we get there.
Mricco

8 days now before we leave and I do not have my passport. My State Reps office says they are on it but cannot get a definitive answer from anyone, I don't know what to think. Kind of bursts your bubble if you know what I mean.
Mricco

Mricco,

Before your trip is it possible for you to get a duplicate official raised seal birth certificate from the municipality in which you were born? You birth certificate is tied up with your passport application and there is the chance you might need to show it at some point, especially with a planned trip to the BVIs. I keep a couple of official raised seal birth certificates for my son who always seems to have misplaced his when he needs one. There was no problem getting more than one as long as I gave them $10 for each copy.

Gerie

No passport is needed for travel by sea. We've debated there here for several months now and some of us tested it (me included). Passports were not needed. I went to BVI and back....others did the same.

I have heard that some of the tour operators are asking for passports. I suppsoe they can do whatever they want...but it is NOT a government requirement. Last we checked, some of the operators were requiring and some weren't. If you don't get a passport in time, just go with a tour operator that doesn't require one. Customs will not require one. No need to sweat.

Talked with my State Reps office today (they called me-looking for votes I guess). anyway they were told the soonest it will be sent out is the May 30 and we leave the 2nd of June. I will check out the birth certificate raised seal thing. Do you need to have a raised seal for travel?
Mricco

mricco: I've been following this thread and can only repeat that if you are planning to go from the USVI to the BVI BY WATER, you may - if you do not have a passport - want to play safe by having a raised seal birth certificate but right now this is really not something to sweat over. The more stringent regulations will come in time for travel between the USVI and BVI but everything is cool for now. Stop fussing, really. Simple identification such as a valid stateside driver's license and a return ticket to the US mainland is so far sufficient.

And a word of advice. If some local bureaucrat wearing a badge challenges your current credentials, whether you're travelling by air mainland US to USVI - or USVI to BVI on a simple boat tour excursion, keep your knickers in place and don't under any circumstances even think about mouthing off and protesting. Arguing and loudly protesting will render your vacation time miserable. Quietly present what you have and, if by any remote chance (and it's extremely remote) you're challenged, quietly present again the indentification necessary which proves you are a bona fide US resident on vacation and then shut up.

Bluwater had her knickers in a twist prior to her last visit here and all was well when push came to shove! Cheers!

Haha STT, Did I have my knickers in a twist?! How soon I forget such twists after a visit to the islands!

Funny thing...when I booked my airfare today, the USAir agent told me that I needed passports for everyone. I just said "yes, ok"...knowing she was wrong. A very confusing topic, for sure!!

GOOD NEWS, my passport came today. Thanks to whomever it was that gave me the info about contacting my State Rep. Now I'm wondering if I would not have contacted them if it would have come. Thanks all, be in contact when we return. We leave Sat and I have not started to pack. Concerned about my 2 dogs Ben and Emma, my daughters 4 dogs, 2 of which are canine dogs and the people we have to take care of them. But I know they are better off in their own inviornment than in a kennel. I dabble in pet sitting and always feel bad for a pet when you leave them for the night.
Mricco
SEE YA IN ST JOHN!

Mricco,

Hooray! Just in the nic of time.....though, you'd have been fine without passports.

Enjoy - I know you'll rest easy now. Let the limin' begin!

Its usually called "discretion of the officer in charge" meaning they can decide pretty much what they want.
So just go to Jost and have fun...then be as polite and naive as possible when checking back in at STJ.

Mrricoo....a reply about leaving animals home and worrying.

We have 4 cats and I left my 84 year old Mother in charge. She lives close by. Those cats ate better in that week then they ever did in their lives. She totally spoils them. Not only did she bring them food, she put it all in a food processor and made it soooo small, so as she says "they can digest it better"...lol They had filet mignon, chicken, salmon and tuna all week. They're all fat now.