Do You Need a Passport for St. Croix?

U.S. citizens don’t need a passport to visit St. Croix. St. Croix is part of the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI). This island group is a U.S. territory. So traveling there is like a domestic trip.

You can fly or cruise to St. Croix using a standard ID instead of a passport. However, it is smart to carry proof that you are a U.S. citizen. For example, bring a passport or birth certificate to make your return to the mainland go smoothly.

Takeaway

• U.S. citizens travel to St. Croix with standard ID.
• Bring a birth certificate if you fly without a passport.
• Expect a quick customs check before leaving the island.
• Kids need no ID to fly but need a birth certificate to return.
• A passport adds flexibility for side trips to nearby islands.
• Check TSA and CBP updates before you travel.
• St. Croix uses the U.S. dollar and U.S. phone networks.
• Keep your ID and documents in a safe, easy-to-reach place.

No Passport Needed for U.S. Citizens

St. Croix’s status as a U.S. territory makes travel easy for Americans. U.S. citizens do not need a passport to go there.

If you are flying from a U.S. airport or sailing from a U.S. port to St. Croix, it’s just like traveling to another state. You won’t go through any foreign border control when you arrive. You also do not need a visa or special permit to visit. Just bring a valid photo ID, such as a driver’s license, to prove your identity.

This rule applies to all the main U.S. Virgin Islands (St. Croix, St. Thomas, and St. John). It works the same as traveling to Puerto Rico. So, you can leave your passport at home for these destinations. That said, if you have a passport, consider bringing it for convenience.

A passport is the most widely accepted proof of identity and citizenship. A passport can make your return trip easier, since it has all your info in one document. Legally, though, U.S. citizens have no special entry requirements for St. Croix beyond what you need for any domestic trip.

Accepted Identification for Travel

If you aren’t using a passport, you will need other valid ID to travel to St. Croix. Adults must show an acceptable government-issued photo ID when flying. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) requires this at the airport for all passengers 18 and older.

The most common ID used is a state driver’s license or identification card. Starting May 7, 2025, all U.S. driver’s licenses or state IDs used for flying must be REAL ID-compliant. (These IDs have a special star or flag symbol.) If your license is not Real ID-compliant, you will need to use another form of ID. Here are some IDs you can use for travel to St. Croix:

• REAL ID–compliant driver’s license or state ID: A driver’s license or ID card with the Real ID star meets federal airport requirements.

• U.S. Passport Book or Passport Card: Either a passport book or the wallet-sized passport card can serve as your photo ID for domestic travel. Both also prove your U.S. citizenship.

• DHS Trusted Traveler Card: Programs like Global Entry, NEXUS, or SENTRI provide cards that TSA accepts as valid ID.

• U.S. Military ID: A military ID (active duty or dependent) counts as valid identification at the airport.

Most travelers use their driver’s license at the airport. Make sure your license is up to date and will be Real ID–compliant if your trip is on or after the federal deadline. If not, plan to bring an alternative like a passport. Many officials say that a passport is “the best identification” when traveling because it covers both identity and citizenship in one piece.

When you leave St. Croix to return to the mainland, you must show proof of U.S. citizenship if you don’t have a passport. Typically that means presenting an original U.S. birth certificate along with your photo ID to the U.S. Customs officers before boarding your flight home.

If you choose to travel without a passport, pack those documents (like a birth certificate or naturalization certificate) in your carry-on. That way, you can prove you are a U.S. citizen during the customs check on the island.

Traveling with Children

Children under 18 traveling to St. Croix with you do not need a government ID to fly. The TSA does not require ID for minors on domestic flights, so kids can pass through airport security without a photo ID if they are with a guardian. You can book a flight for a child to St. Croix just as you would to any other U.S. destination.

You should carry proof of your child’s U.S. citizenship for the return trip. When leaving St. Croix, U.S. Customs may ask for documentation for children, even toddlers or babies.

A birth certificate is the standard proof of a child’s citizenship if they don’t have a passport. For example, if you travel with a school-age child or an infant, they can fly to St. Croix with no ID of their own. To get through customs on the way back, a parent or guardian just needs to show the child’s birth certificate (or passport if they have one).

It’s a good idea to pack each child’s birth certificate (original or certified copy) in your carry-on luggage. If your children have passports, you can use those for convenience, but U.S. citizen children do not need passports on this trip. One more tip: if a child is traveling without both parents.

For example, with only one parent or with a relative – U.S. authorities do not require a consent letter for travel to St. Croix, but carrying one can prevent misunderstandings. In general, no photo ID is needed for U.S. citizen children to enjoy a trip to St. Croix. Just make sure you have a document that proves each child is a U.S. citizen when it’s time to head back home.

Flying to St. Croix (Air Travel)

The easiest way to get to St. Croix is by air. Most visitors arrive via airplane at Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (STX) on the island. When you fly from the U.S. mainland or from Puerto Rico to St. Croix, your flight is treated as a domestic flight.

You will go through TSA security at your departure airport, but you will not go through immigration or passport control when you land in St. Croix. Since St. Croix is U.S. territory, there is no international arrival process. It’s just like flying to another state (for example, flying to Hawaii or Florida).

For your flight to St. Croix, you need the same ID as for any U.S. trip. Adult travelers should carry a REAL ID–compliant driver’s license or another TSA-approved photo ID. Children do not need any ID when flying with a parent or guardian.

You do not have to show a passport when flying direct to St. Croix from the U.S. If your itinerary is typical (nonstop from the mainland or a connection through San Juan, PR), you will not touch any foreign soil on the way. No passport is necessary to reach St. Croix.

One thing to keep in mind: if your flight plan unexpectedly has to stop in a foreign country, a passport could be required. For example, if there is an emergency landing in a nearby island like the Bahamas, you would need a passport to pass through that country.

Such scenarios are rare, but this is one reason why carrying a passport can be helpful. In normal practice, if you stick to U.S. airlines or common routes, you won’t need to worry about that. Once you land in St. Croix, you can start your vacation right away without any immigration lines or visa checks.

Traveling by Cruise or Boat to St. Croix

You can also visit St. Croix by sea, either on a cruise ship or on a private vessel. Document rules for traveling by cruise can differ slightly from air travel:

Cruise Ship Travel: U.S. citizens taking a cruise that begins and ends at the same U.S. port and only visits U.S. territories (like St. Croix, St. Thomas, or Puerto Rico) may not need a passport for that trip. This is called a “closed-loop” cruise. On closed-loop cruises to U.S. territories, passengers can travel with an original birth certificate and a government-issued photo ID instead of a passport.

For example, if a cruise departs Florida, stops in St. Thomas and St. Croix, and then returns to Florida without any foreign stops, you can travel with a birth certificate and your driver’s license.

Private Boat or Ferry

If you are traveling on a private yacht or a ferry from a U.S. location directly to St. Croix, the rules are similar to air travel. U.S. citizens on a direct sea route from, say, Florida or Puerto Rico to St. Croix do not need a passport to enter the island. You will have to go through U.S. customs when you arrive, but this is a domestic customs clearance.

Be ready to show proof of citizenship (like a passport or birth certificate) and a photo ID when you arrive by boat. If your voyage plans to stop at any foreign port before reaching St. Croix, then everyone on board will need passports. For example, if you sail from Florida and stop in the Dominican Republic or St.

Maarten on the way to St. Croix, you’ll be entering a foreign country, and you must have a passport to go ashore and to re-enter the USVI. Plan your documents according to your route. When in doubt, bring your passport – it covers you for all possibilities.

Non-U.S. Citizens Visiting St. Croix

If you are not a U.S. citizen or national, you will need a passport to travel to St. Croix. Think of traveling to St. Croix the same way as traveling to the mainland United States, because the entry requirements are the same.

A foreign national must go through U.S. immigration checks when entering the U.S. Virgin Islands. In most cases, you will also need a valid U.S. visa or an approved ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) to visit, depending on your country of citizenship.

The USVI follows the same visa rules as the rest of the United States. For example, if you are a citizen of a European country, you would use your passport and ESTA (or a U.S. tourist visa) to fly to St. Croix, just as you would for a trip to New York or California. Airlines will not let you board a flight to St. Croix without the proper documents, since they must obey U.S. entry laws.

Also, be prepared to go through Customs and Border Protection inspections. If St. Croix is your first point of entry into U.S. territory, you will see an immigration officer when you arrive. (If you connected through the mainland or Puerto Rico first, you would have cleared U.S. immigration there already.) Always keep your passport and any visa paperwork with you in your carry-on.

If you are a U.S. lawful permanent resident (Green Card holder), you do not need a passport to travel between the mainland U.S. and St. Croix. Your Green Card is proof of your identity and status.

Disclaimer: Information in this article is for general travel guidance. Requirements may change, so check the latest updates from the TSA, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and official U.S. Virgin Islands travel resources before your trip.