ST. THOMAS, USVI – The Biden administration recently approved the Virgin Islands Visa Waiver Act – a move that makes it possible for visitors from the Caribbean to visit the US territory for up to 45 days without a visa.
The Fred Hotel on St. Croix. (Image courtesy of The Fred Hotel)However, the amendment to the Act applies only to the U.S. Virgin Islands and does not allow entry into other parts of the United States.
The Act was first presented to the Committee for amendment in September 2021 by Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett, a native of the US Virgin Islands.
press release from the Congresswoman’s office did not state specifically which countries will benefit from the amendment to the Act.
However, the scope of the amendment will b limited to the Caribbean community and other countries permitted by the Department of Homeland Security.
The amendment is similar to the limited visa waiver program which allows citizens of some countries to visit other US territories such as Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands by completing a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Form I-736 prior to arrival and presenting their country’s passport on arrival.
The Visa Waiver Act is also expected to be an impetus for increased visitors and economic activity across the US Virgin Islands.
