Does my family need passports to travel from the US to the Virgin Islands, etc. or can we use birth cert.?

Yes you can use birth certificates but you also need a photo identification for every person that doesn't have a passport. If you have a passport it is only a few seconds quicker.

Yes, that is fine. Everyone, including the children will need proper photo I.D. and a raised seal birth certificate.

However, I believe starting in December, about mid-month, passports will be required.

You can also contact your travel agent for this information.

If you all are US citizens all you will need is a drivers license for identification if not of driving age then a birth certificate is fine. Passports will be required but not mandatory yet. I am a Virgin Islander living in Florida.

Are you a US Citizen? Which Virgin Islands? If it's the US Virgin Islands, then you simply need a US Government issued form of ID (Passport, Driver's License, Military ID, etc.). If it's the British Virgin Islands, they will require passports after 12/31/07 anf it's still recommended that you travel with one anyway - if nothing else, to speed up customs and to make you less suspect.

All that we needed was a copy of our birth cert. and a drivers lic. That is to the US Virgin Islands

Depends on when you travel. I live in the virgin islands now and I hear that passports will be mandatory as of 12/31/06 for you to clear customs when you leave the usvi. Until then you can use a birth certificate/ government ID combo.

I'm from the V.I you can use a picture I.d, Passport or birth certificate Hope you enjoy yourself there.

it would be a good idea to get one with the requirements to neighboring islands tightening up:

New Requirements for Travelers


The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 requires that by January 1, 2008, travelers to and from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Panama, Mexico and Canada have a passport or other secure, accepted document to enter or re-enter the United States. In order to facilitate the implementation of this requirement, the Administration is proposing to complete it in phases following a proposed timeline, which will be published in the Federal Register in the near future.

In the proposed implementation plan, which is subject to a period of initial public comment, the Initiative will be rolled out in phases, providing as much advance notice as possible to the affected public to enable them to meet the terms of the new guidelines. The proposed timeline will be as follows:

December 31, 2006 - Requirement applied to all air and sea travel to or from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda.
December 31, 2007 - Requirement extended to all land border crossings as well as air and sea travel.
This is a change from prior travel requirements and will affect all United States citizens entering the United States from countries within the Western Hemisphere who do not currently possess valid passports. This new requirement will also affect certain foreign nationals who currently are not required to present a passport to travel to the United States. Most Canadian citizens, citizens of the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda, and to a lesser degree, Mexican citizens will be affected by the implementation of this requirement.

if you have further questions, this is how you contact the passport center:

National Passport Information Center


This is the only official U.S. Government website for passport information. If you have a travel emergency, please call the National Passport Information Center to speak to a Customer Service Representative. Website for Passport Information.
Telephone Number: 1-877-4USA-PPT (1-877-487-2778)
TDD/TTY: 1-888-874-7793. Telephone number for customers with telecommunication devices for the hearing impaired.
Customer Service Representatives and Operators for TDD/TTY are available Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. to midnight, Eastern Time, excluding federal holidays.
Automated Information available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you have a travel emergency, please call the Center to speak with a customer service representative. Do not e-mail.