North and Central America and Caribbean

• Travel Summary
• Safety and security
• Local laws and customs
• Entry requirements

• Health
• Natural disasters
• General
 

• There is no British High Commission in St Kitts and Nevis. British nationals requiring emergency consular assistance may contact the British Honorary Consul, Sarah Percival, on +1 (869) 764 4677. If the Honorary Consul is not available and for all other non-consular related matters please contact the British High Commission in Bridgetown, Barbados.
  
  
• Around 4,700 British nationals visited St Kitts and Nevis in 2008 (Source: Ministry of Tourism). Most visits to St Kitts and Nevis are trouble-free. The main type of incidents for which British nationals required consular assistance in St Kitts and Nevis in 2008 were replacing lost and stolen passports and dealing with hospitalisations. Over the past year, there has been an overall increase in crime in St Kitts, including gun crimes although these tend to occur within the local community.
  
  
• There is a low threat from terrorism. But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks which could be in public areas, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.
  
  
• You should take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. See General - Insurance.

Safety and Security - Terrorism  
There is a low threat from terrorism. But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks which could be in public areas, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers. For more general information see our Terrorism Abroad page.

Safety and Security - Crime
Around 5,000 British nationals visit St Kitts and Nevis each year (Source: Ministry of Tourism) and the vast majority of visits are trouble-free. Incidents of violent crime including murder do occur. Gun crime is increasingly problematic; there have been more than 25 murders in 2011, the majority as a result of shootings. Although these tend to occur within the local community, there have been a number of recent incidents involving British nationals in the Half Moon Court area, including a double murder and violent attack.

You should maintain vigilance at all times even when staying with family or friends. Avoid walking alone in isolated areas, including beaches, after dark.  Do not carry large amounts of cash or jewellery.  Valuables and travel documents should be left, where possible, in safety deposit boxes and hotel safes.

For more general information see our Victims of Crime Abroad page.

Safety and Security - Local Travel - Road Travel 
In order to be able to drive a car in St Kitts and Nevis you must purchase a local driving licence, usually from the car hire company, at a cost of EC$ 100.  You must show your current driving licence to obtain this.   Motorists drive on the left in St Kitts and Nevis.  Main roads are generally well maintained but many follow winding routes so careful driving is necessary.  Roads are not well lit at night. You must be alert for stray livestock and speed bumps in some areas that are not well marked.  Hiring of scooters is popular amongst visitors but safety equipment is not included in the hire price; despite the additional cost this is highly recommended for your own protection.  You should be cautious when driving a scooter, as other road users do not always give them due consideration. 

For more general information see our Driving Abroad page.

Safety and Security - Local Travel - Air Travel 
You will have to pay a departure tax when leaving St Kitts and Nevis. Departure tax is EC$58 (per adult) and EC$25 (child under 12).

Safety and Security - Political Situation 
St Kitts and Nevis Country Profile  

You should note that there are severe penalties for all drug offences. Pack all luggage yourself and do not carry anything through customs for anyone else. You should be aware that it is an offence for anyone, including children, to dress in camouflage clothing. Certain homosexual acts are illegal under the laws of St Kitts and Nevis.  For more general information for different types of travellers see our Your Trip page.

Entry requirements - Visas  
British Passport holders do not require visas to visit St Kitts and Nevis. On entry you are granted a one month stay.  If you wish to stay longer you must apply and pay for an extension of stay through the St Kitts and Nevis Immigration Department.  It is an offence to overstay the entry period granted or to work without a work permit.

Entry requirements may change from time to time and should be checked with the High Commission of St Kitts and Nevis in London.

Entry requirements - Passport validity  
You must hold a valid passport to enter St Kitts & Nevis. Your passport must be valid for a minimum period of six months from the date of entry into St Kitts & Nevis.

The medical facilities on the islands are limited to one hospital, which can deal only with routine medical cases.  More serious cases will need to be dealt with in Puerto Rico, USA once the patient is in a stable condition.

Dengue fever is common across the Caribbean and can occur throughout the year. Dengue is a mosquito-borne infection that can cause a feverish illness associated with headache, muscle aches and pains, and rash. Some cases of dengue are severe. Dengue can be prevented by avoiding being bitten by the disease-carrying mosquitoes that feed predominately during daylight hours. For more information on prevention, see the National Travel Health Network and Centre website.

You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS. For more general information on how to do this see our HIV and AIDS page.

You should seek medical advice before travelling to St Kitts & Nevis and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up-to-date.  For further information on vaccination requirements, health outbreaks and general disease protection and prevention you should visit the websites of the National Travel Heath Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) and NHS Scotland's Fit For Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

For more general health information see our Travel Health and Swine Flu page.

The hurricane season in St Kitts and Nevis normally runs from June to November.  You can also access the World Meteorological Organisation for updates and the US National Hurricane Centre. For more general information see our Tropical cyclones page.

General - Insurance  

You should take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance, which includes medical evacuation, before travelling.  Check for any exclusions and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake.  Be especially careful about cover for recurring illnesses as they may not be include in all insurance policies.  For more general information see our Travel Insurance page.

If things do go wrong when you are oversees see our When Things Go Wrong page.

General - Registration

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.  More information about registering with LOCATE can be found here.

General - Passports  

Keep a copy of the photo page of your passport and relevant entry stamp in case your documents are stolen.

The passport service for British nationals in St Kitts and Nevis has now moved from Barbados to the UK Passport Service Centre for the Americas and Caribbean in Washington D.C. (http://ukinusa.fco.gov.uk/passports).  

If you are applying for a renewal of your UK passport and you are in St Kitts and Nevis your application, with the appropriate passport fee plus a return courier fee of US $21, should be sent direct to:

The UK Passport Service for the Americas and Caribbean
British Embassy
19 Observatory Circle, NW
Washington, DC 20008

The British High Commission in Bridgetown will continue to issue Emergency Passports for people who have lost their passports and who have an urgent need to travel to the UK.