St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands ~ Luxury Villa and Condo Rentals

As New WHTI Rules Change,
The U.S. Virgin Islands, America's Caribbean,
Not Affected

When the new land and sea phase of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) by the Homeland Security and State Department goes into effect on January 31, 2008, U.S. citizens are reminded that they are exempt from needing a passport for travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands St. Croix, St. John and St. Thomas.

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative passed by U.S. Congress requires that travelers, including U.S. citizens who travel via air, land or sea to and from the Americas, the Caribbean and Bermuda must travel with a passport in order to enter or re-enter the United States. But since the U.S. Virgin Islands is a United States Territory, American citizens traveling to or from St. Croix, St. John and St. Thomas are considered not to have left the U.S., and thus do not need to present a passport. United States citizens can visit the State Departments travel website, www.travel.state.gov.

When traveling to the U.S. Virgin Islands, U.S. citizens enjoy all the conveniences of domestic travel -- including on-line check-in -- making travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands easier than ever!

 Click here for more detailed information.

©2008 United States Virgin Islands Department of Tourism 

Customs Information

The U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service maintains an office in St. Croix and is happy to assist visitors by answering any immigration questions. Their telephone number: (340) 778-6559. At the airport, their number is (340) 778-1419.

When you leave St. Croix by air, give yourself at least an hour and a half at the airport to go through customs and immigration checkpoints. At the airline counter you will be required to show photo identification for security purposes and check your bags.

Before passing through Customs you have the opportunity to shop in the airport's gift shop and/or get a bite to eat at the small local restaurant located in the lobby. This is your last chance to try some local food before you return home!

After visiting the airport lobby, fill in the Customs Declaration form you were given at check-in and proceed to Customs. Present your declaration form, along with your passport, to a Customs Inspector. You then collect your bags from the luggage carousel and pass through Immigration where you present your identification and Customs Declaration form. Be prepared to have all your bags checked thoroughly, inside and out.

Once past Customs and the airport screening area there are new gates with comfortable chairs and a small snack bar which serves light snacks, soft drinks, beer and cocktails.

Duty Free Allowances

There are no customs duties on most merchandise, and there are no local luxury or sales taxes. U.S. citizens are allowed a duty-free shopping quota of $1,600.00. Additionally, an unlimited number of gift packages, worth $100 or less, may be mailed to family and friends. Citizens may also bring back up to five cartons of duty-free cigarettes and five fifths of US liquor duty-free. An extra fifth can be taken if it is an U.S. Virgin Islands product such as Cruzan Rum.