North and Central America and Caribbean

We recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. This should cover repatriation costs to the USA and medical treatment while there. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake. For more general information see travel insurance.

If things do go wrong when you are oversees then this is how we can help.

 

Register with our LOCATE service to tell us when and where you are travelling abroad or where you live abroad so our consular and crisis staff can provide better assistance to you in an emergency.

 

The Governor’s Office will assist British nationals in genuine emergencies wherever possible, but this does not cover the full range of consular services.

 

You should take particular care to safeguard British passports as these cannot be renewed or replaced in BVI. You should report the theft or loss of a British passport immediately to the police (from whom a written report must be obtained).  In a genuine emergency, the BVI Civil Registry and Passport Office (+1 284 494-3701 ext 3035/3036) may be able to issue an Emergency Travel Document (not valid for travel through the United States of America).

From 3 August 2009, residents of the British Virgin Islands, including first passport issues, who wish to apply for a passport should do so by sending their applications by courier or registered post to the UK Passport Service Centre in Washington D.C. This will be the new passport production centre for the British Virgin Islands and the region. 

The mailing address is:
The UK Passport Service Centre for the Americas and Caribbean
British Embassy
19 Observatory Circle, NW
Washington, DC 20008
USA

Further information, guidance and copies of application forms can be obtained online at www.ukinusa.fco.gov.uk or www.ukinbarbados.fco.gov.uk.

This change does not affect applications for British Overseas Territories Citizen passports, which will continue to be processed by the Civil Registry and Passport Office as before.

 

There is a 15 US Dollars departure tax and 5 US Dollars security charge (per person) payable on leaving the BVI by air, and a 5 US Dollar security charge (per person) payable on leaving the BVI by sea.