Green card and passport is fine. They are needed to return to the states from the USVI. It isn't "stipud" that the USVI and PR have different regulations. Yes, they are both territories, but PR is as close to being a state as a territory can be, and the USVI is as far from being a state as a territory can be. For example, Puerto Ricans can vote for President, Virgin Islanders can not.

dntw8up , thanks for clarification.

What I meant - by stupid - is a bureaucracy ( not the status of VI). I understand the need for TSA - to make sure the flight is secure, but what is the need have extra government workers on payroll to check on US citizens traveling within the country. I don't buy the argument that it's the island and you need to make sure that noone who got to the island on the boat can get into mainland ( I heard that somewhere). Well there is no customs for people traveling from Hawaii, Keys or Alaska - to the mainland. It's much easier to get to one of those places by boat and then travel within USA, isn't it? TSA can make sure that noone who doesn't have proper documents will get on the plane. I understand the need for customs for visitors from other countries, but I'm sure that 50% of visitors if not more are from US. So why bother and slow them down? It's just seems like one of those bureaucratic things that doesn't make a lot of sense - just creates extra obstacles (people needing to get a passport in a hurry) and extra bureaucracy, and "make work" for some people - who can't do anything better other demean other people ( there was a topic earlier this month on this forum about a woman and her husband getting detained for not having a passport thou they had other proper documentation)

Sorry - it's just that government bureaucracy gets me big time. ( US is much better than other countries I've been to, but doesn't mean we should settle for what we get at SSS offices and such. I remember spending 2 days in the SSS office in lines - for them to fix the error they made on my file with my date of birth. Some idiot somewhere mistyped my month of birth, when they where updating some info on my file. And they tried to blame me for that. Tried to say that I "provided them with the wrong information in the first place." You mean when I was an infant??? And what about my life up to that point - you know, school, college, work, taxes - up to that one moment? Nobody noticed that before? I remember there was on old lady - around 70 thou also couldn't get here license renewed cause she had wrong date of birth on her file? So for 60+ years before that - she was had a problem and now it's her fault? And they keep blaming you for that. Never apologizing. I mean don't appologaize to me - but at least don't blame me and waste my time . You know? And while I'm standing there arguing with them - I can see one of their guys just sitting in the cubicle with thumbs up his behind doing nothing. Just relaxing. Not even lunch or anything ( 4 pm). So it really get me big time. )

Pheuw, sorry just got back from the trip to DMV - Trying to persuade them that since I just got my new license last year (valid till 2012 as it says on the license itself) that they issued me - it CAN'T be expiring this month.

Man I do need a relaxing vacation 🙂

dnt: Puerto Rico has electors in the Electoral College???:S

"Well there is no customs for people traveling from Hawaii, Keys or Alaska - to the mainland. It's much easier to get to one of those places by boat and then travel within USA, isn't it?"

No, we are a significant entryway for illegal immigrants as it is much easier to get here by boat than Hawaii or Alaska.

"I understand the need for customs for visitors from other countries, but I'm sure that 50% of visitors if not more are from US. So why bother and slow them down?"

Unlike Puerto Rico, the USVI is outside the US customs zone, so even US citizens are limited in the dollar amount of goods with which they may return to the states without paying duty.

Hey EE --

You're right; they don't. I was misremembering 2000, when Puerto Ricans were going to vote for president, even though the votes wouldn't matter (although US citizens, the US Constitution doesn't guarantee citizens the right to vote for the presidency; Article II grants the power to elect the president to the states, and PR isn't a state.) Then the PR Supreme Court ruled the vote would violate the PR Constitution, because it would be a misuse of public funds. The difference in custom zones between the USVI and PR would've been a more accurate example. Sorry for the error, but I'm glad you're around to keep me honest 😀

Honesty is a good policy! 🙂

Thanks for an interesting fact. Wouldn't think that st. Thomas would have such a big immigration issue.

But to my other point - what are the benefits to islanders of being in US and not in US at the same time?

"what are the benefits to islanders of being in US and not in US at the same time?"

None that I experience.

A better question is what are the benefits to the US in keeping the USVI a territory.

We are always 'in the US' -we are outside the Customs zone - booze and cigarettes are cheap - some luxury items are cheaper - if we ship something in that is made outside the USA ,even if shipped from the USA, we have to pay import / excise tax on it.
We are protected by the US legal system,pay federal tax at the same rates,subject to military service,have Social Security,Unemployment benefits,etc.- Our Vi drivers license is accepted ,not considered International, - Fed EX,UPS etc. consider us International and are much more expensive - USPS prices are domestic. The airlines consider it an International flight. If you enter into the VI from a foreign country you must clear Customs and Immigration.

exit zero - thanks for calrification.

Would you rather keep that status quo or have a status like Hawaii?

Hawaii is a state with more that 1.2 million people. I doubt very much anyone is interested in another state with a population 1/10 of that. A more viable option is for Puerto Rico to become a state and for the USVI to be counties in that state. But that option has its own set of challenges. My bet is the present arrangement will continue into the indefinite future.

Come to think of it LindaJ - I agree with you, it makes sense. However I think republicans would be very much against it - that would mean that a state with the population of about 4 million (27th in the union) would have to be added, and that state would most likely vote Democratic most of the time.