About St. Croix -
Information
St.
Croix is one of the U.S. Virgin Islands, which are considered an
unincorporated U.S. territory. The beautiful island of St. Croix
is the largest of the 3 inhabited US Virgins Islands (St. Thomas
and St. John are the other two) and is 84 square miles. However,
it only has a population of about 60,000 residents. Christopher
Columbus is said to have discovered the island in 1493, landing
at Salt River on the north coast in search of fresh water. The eastern part of the island
is more arid, while the western half is lush with
beautiful green hills, a rainforest, and wonderful white sandy
beaches.
 The two main towns are
Christiansted and
Frederiksted.
Christiansted is on the northeast part of the island and is
filled with historic Danish architecture. If you are lucky, you may be on the
island for "Jump
Up" in Christiansted. This is a "carnival-like" evening,
which is held about four times a year, is filled with steel bands,
dancing, local arts and crafts, food, and fun! Frederiksted
has charming "gingerbread" Victorian architecture. Fort Frederik
dates  back to 1700 and is the
site where Governor General Peter Van Scholten
read the proclamation abolishing slavery in 1848.
Today it houses a museum. Frederiksted has a colorful harbor that draws cruise ships and people from around the world. Both towns have duty free shopping and
great places to eat!
St. Croix lies approximately 40
miles south of St. Thomas and St. John and is separated from them by a
deep oceanic trench. St. Croix has beautiful white sand
beaches with crystal clear waters.
 Historic plantations from the days
when agriculture drove the economy are scattered throughout the island. St
Croix also has fine shopping areas and a variety of activities to keep
visitors entertained. Among it's natural attributes are natural reserves
for plant and animal life (Buck Island Reef National Monument with an
underwater snorkeling trail, a rainforest, and
botanical gardens. The
Cruzan Rum factory is also based in St. Croix.
Other Facts about St. Croix
St. Croix's currency is US Dollars. Most credit cards and
travelers checks are accepted. No sales tax.
The language is English, yet many locals also speak English with
a Caribbean twist. For instance, the 'H' is often discarded
("thing" becomes "ting", and "thanks"
becomes "tanks").
The climate is subtropical with a year round average of about 78*F/26*C
with easterly trade winds to help keep the humidity level
comfortable. Seasonal temperatures fluctuate less than 10*F/6*C.
Average annual rainfall is only 50 inches/1270 millimeters and
occurs in late spring and late summer. The island is more
susceptible to potential hurricanes August - October, but each
hurricane we know about that hit St. Croix hit in September.
Country Code - 1
Area Code - 340
Electricity - the current and wall outlets are 110v/60 cycles,
like those in the U.S.
The water in the main towns and at hotels is safe to drink. Most private
residences utilize cisterns to store rain water. Unless the water is treated,
bottled water is preferred.
St. Croix is on Atlantic Standard Time zone year-round (1 hour
ahead of East Coast Time).
St. Croix has many festivals throughout the year, but any time is
a great time to visit St. Croix.
Travel
Documents
Passports for U.S. Citizens are not required for the U.S. Virgin Islands, but
you must be prepared to show evidence of citizenship upon leaving (such as a
birth certificate and a government issued photo ID or your passport). Citizens
of countries other than the U.S. should follow U.S. travel regulations. To
travel outside the U.S. Virgin Islands requires a birth certificate & ID or
valid passport. Health certificates are not required if you're entering from the
U.S. or Puerto Rico; citizens entering from other countries should follow the
same guidelines as for the mainland U.S.
New
Requirements for Travelers Between the United
States and the Western Hemisphere effective:
January 31,
2008
Please
note: This initiative WILL NOT affect U.S.
citizens traveling between the United States and
its territories!
Click
here
for more info.
***** U.S.
Citizens do not need a Passport to travel to St. Croix!!! *****
|
The new passport
requirement outlined below 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. |
Under the
Western Hemisphere Travel
Initiative (WHTI)
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 31, 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.
Travel Documents for
U.S. Citizens Under WHTI
Under the proposed
implementation plan, the following documents
will be acceptable to fulfill document
requirements:
- U.S. Passport:
U.S. citizens may present a valid U.S.
passport when traveling via air between
the United States and Canada, Mexico,
Central and South America, the
Caribbean, and Bermuda, and may also use
a U.S. passport when traveling via sea
and land borders (including ferry
crossings).
- The Passport Card
(also referred to as the PASS Card):
This limited-use passport in card format
is currently under development and will
be available for use for travel only via
land or sea (including ferries) between
the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, the
Caribbean, and Bermuda. Similar in size
to a credit card, it will fit easily
into a wallet.
- DOS and DHS also
anticipate that the following documents
will continue to be acceptable for their
current travel uses under WHTI: SENTRI,
NEXUS, FAST, and the U.S. Coast Guard
Merchant Mariner Document. As proposed,
members of the U.S. Armed Forces on
active duty traveling on orders will
continue to be exempt from the passport
requirement.
Background
The Intelligence Reform and
Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 requires the
Department of Homeland Security and Department
of State to develop and implement a plan to
require all travelers, U.S. citizens and foreign
nationals alike, to present a passport or other
document, or a combination of documents, that
denote identity and citizenship when entering
the United States. Congress amended portions of
the Act in 2006. The Western Hemisphere Travel
Initiative is the Administration’s proposed plan
to implement this mandate.
The goal of the Initiative is
to strengthen border security and facilitate
entry into the United States for U.S. citizens
and legitimate foreign visitors by providing
standardized, secure and reliable documentation
which will allow the Department of Homeland
Security to quickly, reliably and accurately
identify a traveler.
More Information
from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Website
Documents You Will Need to Enter the United
States
Visitors/Non-immigrants
All persons including
citizens of the United States traveling by air
between the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean
and Bermuda are required to present a passport,
Merchant Mariner Document (presented by U.S.
citizen merchant mariners traveling on official
business) or NEXUS Card (NEXUS enrollment is
limited to citizens of the United States and
Canada, and lawful permanent residents of the
United States and Canada). Children will be
required to present their own passport.
U.S. Lawful
Permanent Residents (LPRs), refugees, and
asylees will continue to be able to use their
Alien Registration Card
(Form I-551), issued by DHS, or other evidence
of permanent resident status or refugee or
asylee status to apply for entry into the United
States.
The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI)
will not affect travel between the United States
and its territories. U.S. citizens traveling
directly between the United States, Guam, Puerto
Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, America Samoa,
Swains Island and the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands will continue to be
able to use established forms of identification
to board flights and for entry.
Starting January
31, 2008, verbal declarations of identity and
citizenship alone will no longer be accepted. On
this date, U.S. and Canadian citizens entering
the U. S. at land and sea ports of entry from
within the Western Hemisphere will need to
present (1) government-issued proof of
citizenship, such as a birth certificate, along
with (2) government issued photo ID, such as a
driver’s license. (
Important Change in International Land and Sea
Travel Document Procedures )
While a passport
or other comparable document is not currently
required for entry by land or sea, U.S. and
Canadian citizens are highly encouraged to carry
proof of identity and citizenship. Travelers 19
years and older should also carry
government-issued photo ID. Please visit "Ready,
Set... Go!" for the latest information on travel
requirements. (
Ready, Set... Go! )
Full WHTI implementation is
currently planned for the summer of 2009. Ample
advance notice will be provided to enable the
public to obtain acceptable documents for
land/sea entries to the United States.
http://www.cbp.gov/
U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service -
Customs
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.
Driving is on the left side of the street! Rentals cars are all left hand drive
models.
Photos
© by Kent Vreeland |
