Car seat information from the VI Driver's Manual: Child Passenger Safety Act requires all children under the age of five to be fastened in a properly adjusted car seat or safety belt when riding in motor vehicles. Any child older than five years of age, but not older than twelve years of age must wear a safety belt which is properly adjusted and fastened when riding in a motor vehicle.

Taxis at the airport are usually vans and they have regular seats with seat-belts, they can accommodate a car seat. Another popular taxi vehicle is the safari. They are commonly used for doing island tours and for transportation both on St. Thomas and St. John. Safaris are trucks with the back redone; covered but open air, bench seats, no seat belts. The car seat law seems to be overlooked for taxis.

Passports: If traveling from the US mainland and visiting/staying in the USVI the following applies:

Proof of citizenship when entering the U.S. Virgin Islands from a U.S. airport is not required. Proof of citizenship is however required when leaving the U.S. Virgin Islands to return to the US mainland.

Accepted documents for Proof of Citizenship for Americans: 1. A passport issued under competent authority, 2. An Alien Registration Card (this applies to United States of America permanent residents only) 3. A certified copy of a birth certificate and government issued photo identification like a driver's license 4. A Certificate of Naturalization, issued by the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service.

--Islander

Islander, proof of citizenship is NOT required to return to the continental United States from the US Virgin Islands FOR UNITED STATES CITIZENS. Proof of immigration status IS required for lawful permanent residents (Green Card) and if you are a non-immigrant a passport with all admission documents is required. So, for clarification United States citizens need a drivers license, military ID, government ID, a passport is preferred but NOT REQUIRED. No Birth certificate or Naturalization paper is needed.

The only time a passport is currently required is when someone is entering from the United States FROM FOREIGN BY AIR!!

Someone You need something that shows you are a US citizen A drivers license or gov. IDs don't so yes you need a birth certificate at the least. I'm going to go and pound my head into a wall agian.
Tom

So the way I see it, unless your child has a driver's license or a military id to go with his/her birth certificate, a passport is necessary. Seems a bit silly. My one year old grandson just got a passport. I'm sure his appearance will be very similar in ten years when it's time to re-new.

We were told to call the taxi company...in St Croix before or upon our arrival and the taxi would be equipped with a car seat. We'll see.

Sand crab anyone under the age of 16 their passport is only good for 5 years.

Waterguy,

Well five years makes a little more sense. That would even make more sense for adults, as even I, with total access to the fountain of youth (rum), change a bit in ten years.

I'm glad there is some attempt to prove child identification. I've read too many stories on child "trafficking" Awful!

Thank you all so much,it is all very helpful.........I guess I have to go get passports for my kids since they don't have a license or military ID.Have a great day!!!!!!!

Someone, the information provided regarding proof of citizenship and accepted documents was gathered from the folks at the Immigration and Border Protection Office at the St. Thomas Airport.

Nicole, called the Immigration/Border Protection Office and asked about children traveling with their parents. The person that answered said that for children a birth certificate alone is fine. The child's birth certificate must have the parents names on it, and those names must match the names on documents the parents present for themselves.

For more information the Immigration & Border Protection Office's telephone number is: (340)774-4279.

--Islander

I recently had a visitor from the states here on STX. He only had a stateside drivers lic. no birth certificate. He had no problem re entering the US. My 4 year old son has a passport. He is adopted. Before we had his passport we traveled back and forth from the US to STX with his birth certificate. Our names at the time were not on his birth certificate as we were not his birth parents. No one ever questioned this though we also carried papers showing that we had custody and were adopting we were never asked for those papers. It seemed to me that they only looked to see if the name on the ticket was the same as the name on the birth certificate. I don't know if things have changed recently but as far as I know if you have a valid US drivers lic. you can travel back and forth between the US and the VI. I would get a passport however as the airlines don't seem to know what the rules are. My husband just returned to STX from Atlanta and the lady at the gate announce to everyone that they would not be able to board the plane unless they had passports which was totally false. Passports just make it easier. Hope this helps.

There is actually some substantial attention to child ID in crossing borders. In recent years when traveling with children the kids (not me) have been asked on many occasions some combination of the following:

1) their full names
2) their birth dates
3) where they are going to or coming from
4) their relationship to the adults with whom they are traveling.
5) Is that you when you were a baby? (in the case of a four year old with an infant photo in her passport)

Islandlola

I carried my child's passport AND a notarized letter from their dad saying they have permission to travel internationally with me just in case. I know Mexico has a rule about single parents traveling alone so I always have that letter.

In general I think you can often "get by" with minimal identification but if there is some alert or "clamp down" on regulations, you can save yourself a lot of hassle if you are duly legal...whatever the criteria at the time. I would feel more comfortable listening to Islander and reading official government websites than listening to "well I/we made it...". Even a call to a local airport/customs person can give you some varied answers. Hope you enjoy your trip. It really isn't too scary.

Thank you all very much for all of the useful information!!! I can't wait to get there!!!!