Overview
Sights And Activities
Planning Your Trip
Accommodations
Cultural Essentials
Beyond Tourism
Basics
Citizens of all countries except the US need valid passports to enter Puerto Rico and to re-enter their home countries. Puerto Rico does not allow entrance if the holder’s passport expires in under six months; returning home with an expired passport is illegal and may result in a fine. US citizens need to carry valid government ID, such as a driver’s license, to prove their citizenship.
Citizens of Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK, and the US can apply for a passport at any passport office or at selected post offices and courts of law. Citizens of these countries may also download passport applications from the official website of their country’s government or passport office. Any new passport or renewal applications must be filed well in advance of the departure date, though most passport offices offer rush services for a very steep fee. Note, however, that “rushed” passports still take up to two weeks to arrive.
Photocopy the page of your passport with your photo, as well as your visas, traveler’s check serial numbers, and any other important documents. Carry one set of copies in a safe place, apart from the originals, and leave another set at home. Consulates also recommend that you carry an expired passport or an official copy of your birth certificate in a part of your baggage separate from other documents.
If you lose your passport, immediately notify the local police and the nearest embassy or consulate of your home government. To expedite its replacement, you must show ID and proof of citizenship; it also helps to know all information previously recorded in the passport. In some cases, a replacement may take weeks to process, and it may be valid only for a limited time. Any visas stamped in your old passport will be irretrievably lost. In an emergency, ask for immediate temporary traveling papers that will permit you to re-enter your home country.
US citizens do not need a passport or visa to enter Puerto Rico, just proof of citizenship. As of August 2007, citizens of Canada, Bermuda, and countries participating in the US Visa Waiver Program (see www.travel.state.gov for a list of these countries) can enter the Puerto Rico without a visa, provided they present a valid passport, are traveling only for business or pleasure, and are staying for less than 90 days. In addition, travelers under the Visa Waiver Program must provide proof of intent to leave (such as a return plane ticket) and complete an I-94 form (provided to travelers at their port of entry). If you lose your I-94 form, you must replace it through US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS; ☎ 800-375-5283; www.uscis.gov).
Travelers not from the US, Canada, Bermuda, or Visa Waiver Program countries must obtain a visa before traveling to Puerto Rico. The 90-day nonimmigrant visa allows visitors temporary entrance into the US and Puerto Rico, and can be obtained through an online application (http://evisaforms.state.gov/). With the exception of US citizens, all travelers planning to spend longer than 90 days in Puerto Rico must receive a visa from a US embassy or consulate in their home country before traveling to the island (to locate a US embassy or consulate, visit http://usembassy.state.gov). Visas cost around $100 and usually allow business or pleasure travelers to spend six months to a year in Puerto Rico. Visa extensions can sometimes be obtained by filing an I-539 form with the USCIS. Call the forms request line at ☎ 800-870-3676 for more details.
Double-check entrance requirements at the nearest embassy or consulate of the United States (see US Consular Services Abroad, ) for up-to-date info before departure. US citizens can also consult http://travel.state.gov.
Admission as a visitor does not include the right to work, which is authorized only by a work permit. US citizens can work in Puerto Rico without any type of work permit or visa. If you are not a US citizen, you need a work permit or “green card” to work in Puerto Rico. Normally you must have a job offer before you can obtain the permit. First, your potential employer in Puerto Rico must file an I-129 Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker with the USCIS and receive a notice of approval. In order to obtain approval, your employer will usually have to demonstrate that you have skills that locals lack. Next, you must apply for a temporary worker visa by filing a DS-156 and submitting the approval form received by your employer to the US embassy or consulate in your home country. You must also provide a passport, photograph, and I-797 form. Temporary work visas cost around $100. Visit http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1271.html for more details. Obtaining a work visa may seem complex, but it’s critical that you go through the proper channels—the alternative is potential deportation. Travelers who wish to work on a cruise ship must obtain a US C1-D visa from the nearest US consulate.
When you travel, always carry at least two forms of identification on your person, including a photo ID; a passport and a driver’s license or birth certificate is usually an adequate combination. Never carry all of your IDs together; split them up in case of theft or loss, and keep photocopies of all of them in your luggage and at home.
The International Student Identity Card (ISIC), the most widely accepted form of student ID, provides discounts on some sights, accommodations, food, and transportation; access to a 24hr. emergency helpline; and insurance benefits for US cardholders. Applicants must be full-time secondary or post-secondary school students at least 12 years of age. Because of the proliferation of fake ISICs, some services (particularly airlines) require additional proof of student identity.
The International Teacher Identity Card (ITIC) offers teachers the same insurance coverage as the ISIC and similar but limited discounts. To qualify for the card, teachers must be currently employed and have worked a minimum of 18hr. per week for at least one school year. For travelers who are under 26 years old but are not students, the International Youth Travel Card (IYTC) also offers many of the same benefits as the ISIC. Each of these identity cards costs $22. ISICs, ITICS, and IYTCs are valid for one year from the date of issue. To learn more about ISICs, ITICs, and IYTCs, try www.myisic.com. Many student travel agencies issue the cards; for a list of issuing agencies or more information, see the International Student Travel Confederation (ISTC) website (www.istc.org).
The International Student Exchange Card (ISE Card) is a similar identification card available to students, faculty, and youths aged 12 to 26. The card provides discounts, medical benefits, access to a 24hr. emergency helpline, and the ability to purchase student airfares. An ISE Card costs $25; call ☎ 480-951-1177 (from all other continents) for more info, or visit www.isecard.com.
Upon entering Puerto Rico you must declare certain items from abroad and pay a duty on those articles if their value exceeds $10,000. Upon returning home, you must declare all articles acquired abroad and pay a duty on the value of articles in excess of your home country’s allowance. In order to expedite your return, make a list of any valuables brought from home and register them with customs before traveling abroad, and be sure to keep receipts for all goods acquired abroad. If you are flying back through the US, your baggage will be inspected by the US Department of Agriculture. You are allowed to take avocado, papaya, coconut, and plantain through the US, but not mango, soursop, passion fruit, or potted plants.
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