All U.S. citizens traveling outside of the United States are required to have a valid passport. All areas of the Caribbean, The Bahamas, Mexico and Central America have the same general passport requirements, with a few slight differences. The information included here should help if you have questions about your next Caribbean destination. Citizens of other countries are required to have a valid passport to travel from the United States to the Bahamas. The Bahamas requires citizens of some countries to obtain a Bahamian Visa prior to travel. This Bahamas Visa Requirements list contains Visa requirements for all countries.

Passport requirements for U.S. citizens traveling to the Bahamas varies, based on your departure port and the rules put in place for that port by Customs Border Protection (CBP).

Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades) to Grand Bahama Island: As of May 22, 2018, all passengers traveling aboard the Bahamas Fast Ferry to Grand Bahama Island must be in possession of a valid passport or passport card. A birth certificate will no longer be accepted as a valid form of I.D. Passport cards may be obtained for half the rate of a passport and are valid when you travel by sea for overnight stays in the Bahamas. Get your passport card here.

Miami (Port of Miami) to Bimini, Bahamas): All U.S. passengers traveling aboard the Bimini Fast Ferry from Miami to Bimini must have a valid passport or valid passport card, whether traveling for the day or staying overnight in Bimini. As of December 24, 2018, birth certificates are no longer accepted, regardless of age.

The Bahamas

• Travel By Air
  • All U.S. citizens are required to present a valid U.S. passport to enter The Bahamas & reenter the U.S.
  • All air passengers must hold a round-trip ticket | Passengers with one-way tickets could be denied entry
• Travel By Sea
  • U.S. citizens traveling by sea on most vessels must have a valid passport or passport card
  • U.S. citizens traveling by sea and staying overnight in the Bahamas must have a valid passport
  • U.S. citizens traveling by sea on an officially-designated "closed-loop cruise" may enter using a passport, passport card or certified birth certificate with a government photo ID. (Port of entry is the same port as the port of re-entry). The fast ferries offered on this website are not closed loop cruises and do not allow travel with a birth certificate. These requirements may change without notice and are set by Customs, Border Protection (CBP). It is strongly recommended that all passengers travel with a valid passport.
  • All U.S. citizens are strongly encouraged to apply for a passport book or passport card well in advance of anticipated travel.
• Citizens of other countries may need a Visa to enter the Bahamas. Visit this link to find out what is required for your country.

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Aruba

• All U.S. citizens must have a U.S. passport for all travel to and from Aruba. We strongly encourage all U.S. citizen travelers to apply for a U.S. passport or passport card well in advance of anticipated travel. U.S. citizens can call 1-877-4USA-PPT (1-877-487-2778) for information on how to apply for their passports. You are required to have an onward/return ticket, proof of sufficient funds and proof of lodging accommodations for your stay. The typical length of stay granted by immigration to U.S. citizens is 30 days, and may be extended to 180 days by the office of immigration.
• The Government of Aruba will deny boarding to any passenger on a Aruba-bound flight who has traveled within the past 21 days to, from and through the countries of Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The ban is related to the outbreak of the Ebola virus in West Africa.

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Costa Rica

• For entry into Costa Rica, you must present both a valid passport and either a round-trip ticket or proof of onward travel to another country. Passports should be in good condition, as Costa Rican Immigration may deny entry if a passport is damaged in any way. All persons – including U.S. citizens – traveling to Costa Rica from certain countries in South America and Sub-Saharan Africa must provide evidence of a valid yellow fever vaccination prior to entry.
• Because of possible fines levied by Costa Rican Immigration, many airlines will not permit passengers without proof of return or onward travel to board flights to Costa Rica unless they have Costa Rican citizenship, residency, or a visa. Costa Rican Immigration now also requires that you be able to demonstrate financial capacity of at least 100 USD per month while you are in Costa Rica as a tourist.

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Dominican Republic

• Travel By Air
  • Travel by air requires that all persons, regardless of age, present a valid passport | Any person without proper documentation will be deported immediately back to their country of citizenship.
  • Travelers who do not obtain a Dominican visa prior to travel must purchase a tourist card upon arrival for $10 USD
• Travel By Sea
  • Travel by sea requires either a valid passport, passport card or other qualified document
  • Check with your cruise line to make sure you have the documents required

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Jamaica

• All U.S. citizens traveling by air outside of the United States are required to present a valid U.S. passport to exit or enter the United States. U.S. citizens cannot travel on naturalization certificates or expired passports.
• If you plan on travelling by sea, you must present a valid passport book or passport card. Local authorities however prefer passport books as many are unfamiliar with passport cards.

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Mexico

• You must present a valid U.S. passport or passport card in order to enter Mexico.
• While Mexican Immigration will accept the passport card for entry, U.S. Immigration requires a valid passport book for re-entry.
• All U.S. citizens traveling outside of the United States by land or sea (except closed-loop cruises) are required to present aa passport or a passport card, to return to the United States. 
• Travelers with passports that are found to be washed, mutilated, or damaged may be refused entry to Mexico. Please be sure to apply for a U.S. passport well in advance of anticipated travel.

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Saint Martin

• Passports are required for U.S. citizens entering the French West Indies. Visas are generally not required for visitors planning to remain fewer than 90 days.
• Caribbean cruises that begin and end in the U.S. (closed loop cruises) do not require that you travel with a valid passport. However, should you need to disembark due to an emergency and you do not have a valid passport, you may encounter difficulties entering or remaining in a foreign country. You may also have difficulty attempting to re-enter the United States by air because many airlines will require a valid passport before allowing you to board the aircraft. As such, we strongly recommend that you always travel abroad with your valid passport.

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ALL DESTINATIONS

If you are not a U.S. citizen you should check with a government agency in your country of citizenship to confirm what documents you'll need to pass through immigrations.

We strongly encourage all U.S. citizens to apply for a passport book or passport card well in advance of anticipated travel. You can call 1-877-4USA-PPT (1-877-487-2778) for information on how to apply for passports.