Does a Permanent Resident Need a Visa for the Virgin Islands?

A Caribbean retreat lies just a short distance off the tip of Florida where U.S. territories mingle with sovereign states and other dependent territories. If you hold a green card as a permanent resident of the United States, it might be confusing what documents you might need to hop around the Virgin Islands. However, if looking at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection websites, legal residents will find the entry requirements here are actually pretty simple.

Travelers going between the U.S. and its dependent territories aren't required to show either passports or green cards for entry, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Because you're essentially still on home soil, no visa is needed to travel in U.S. territories. You can't, however, make a stopover on foreign soil. You must carry a copy of your birth certificate and government-issued photo identification. Even if a green card isn't required for entry, U.S. immigration law requires permanent residents 18 years old and up carry their green cards at all times.

Green card holders visiting the British Virgin Islands are granted entry without visas as long as travelers meet the standard travel requirements. Visitors are allowed into the islands for a month provided the correct documents are shown at a land or sea port of entry: a passport, proof of accommodations on the island such as a hotel reservation and proof of your return journey such as an airline ticket. If you're a green card holder, you'll need to use a passport from your country of origin. You'll need to show your green card upon returning to the U.S. or its territories.

Because Puerto Rico also is a U.S. territory, no additional documents are needed for a permanent resident to hop over to it to continue an island vacation. Entry to other islands in the region, either sovereign states or dependent territories, as a permanent legal resident carries the same requirements as any international travel on a green card. You'll need a passport from your home country in addition to your green card. You should also check with the State Department for specific entry requirements to determine if you'll need a visa for each island.

If you want to stay longer than a month in the British Virgin Islands, you can apply for an extension. If you're away from the U.S. for six months or more and staying in the U.S. Virgin Islands or another U.S. territory, it shouldn't affect your status in the naturalization process. However, if you island-hop to a foreign country or territory, your process of becoming a naturalized citizen could be disrupted by a lengthy stay. If you hold a green card and know you'll be away from the U.S. or its territories for more than a year, you should apply for a re-entry permit.