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Do You Need a Passport to Go to St. Lucia? (2023 Update)
Ready for a holiday somewhere tropical, warm, and sunny? There are numerous reasons why St Lucia might be calling to you. Not only does St Lucia offer the richest views in the Caribbean and the bluest beaches but there are also activities for the whole family to enjoy. As a US citizen, there are many islands in the Caribbean you might not need a passport or visa for, but what about St Lucia?
Do you need a passport to go to St. Lucia? Unless advised otherwise, all non-citizens of St Lucia must provide a passport that has at least six months validity before entering this Eastern Caribbean Island by air. If traveling to St Lucia by sea, holidaymakers can use an Enhanced Driver’s License or a passport card if obtainable by their state.
With its cocoa trees and chocolate tourism, its colorful wildlife, and endless rainforests for hiking…we don’t blame you for putting St Lucia on your travel list.
But before booking the best things to do in St. Lucia you should know about the travel rules and whether it’s best to have a passport or if alternative documents can take the place of a passport. Keep reading below to find out everything you need to know about entering St. Lucia legally so you can enjoy your time in peace.
St. Lucia Passport Requirements: Does St Lucia Accept Travelers Without Passports?
Depending on your circumstance and reason for visiting, the duration of stay, and how you plan to enter Saint Lucia, you may be accepted into this tropical Windward Island without a passport.
Travelers visiting St Lucia by air will need to have a valid passport that has at least six months validity remaining when entering and before leaving the island. Those traveling to St Lucia by sea may be able to obtain other means of documentation to enter St Lucia’s Island “borders” and may not need documentation at all.
St Lucia entertains over 1.2 million tourists every year who visit the island by air and sea and if you plan to be one of those tourists in the near or far future it’s important to know what you need before you go. You may have had friends visit St Lucia in the past that didn’t need a passport, but that doesn’t mean that you don’t need one.
There are, after all, people from all over the world traveling to St Lucia by plane and sea vessels such as cruise ships, and just as any other country needs to keep tabs on visitors, so does St Lucia.
Probably because once you visit, you won’t want to leave!
What Travel Documents Are Accepted in St Lucia?
Depending on your circumstances, which we’ll go through below, St Lucia border security will accept the following documents at both their national airport and seaport:
- A passport that will remain valid throughout your time in Saint Lucia
- Enhanced Driver’s License
- Passport Card
Although situated amongst the popular Caribbean islands, like many of the 700 islands in the Caribbean Sea, St Lucia is its own country, flag, and all. For this reason, St Lucia does have security measures in place for its tourism and for its citizens.
With so many islands situated in and around the Caribbean, we understand that it can get confusing to learn which islands require certain documents and which of them do not. For Saint Lucia in particular, we’ll break it down for you below.
Which Documents Do I Need to Enter Saint Lucia?
Are you ready for dal roti, green and salted cod, and traditional rice and bean dishes in what may very well be one of the most beautiful islands in the Caribbean?
Get the following documents ready to make sure you get the very best from visiting this jungle-filled, and volcanic mountainous island of beauty we know as Saint Lucia.
Passports
If you are traveling to St Lucia by air, you will need a passport to enter the international airport. This includes all US citizens of any age and anyone who cannot prove their citizenship to St Lucia.
Although you do not need a Visa to enter St Lucia, if you plan on staying on the island for a vacation, you will need to have proof of accommodation and proof of a departure date by means of air or sea tickets leaving St Lucia on a set date.
Your passport must be valid for the whole of your stay in St Lucia with at least six months (preferably) validity at the time of your departure and you need to have at least one empty page for stamping your arrival details.
Enhanced Driver’s License (EDL)
If you’re traveling to St Lucia by sea, you may use what’s called an Enhanced Driver’s License to enter St Lucia at the port of entry. This is NOT your conventional driver’s license.
An Enhanced Driver’s License is similar to a passport in that it has a verified chip installed in it to provide proof of your identity. It looks like a driver’s license but goes one step further as it is issued through a secure process and can be used as a convenient alternative as a passport and driver’s license combined.
EDLs are also cost-efficient as they’re typically cheaper than passports and traditional driver’s licenses.
They make it easier for US citizens to cross borders for Canada, the Caribbean, and Mexico.
Unfortunately, these licenses aren’t available for purchase in every US state and can only be granted in the following five US states:
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- New York
- Vermont
- Washington State
Passport Card
Much like an Enhanced Driver’s License, some people can apply for a Passport Card that fits conveniently in their wallet for international travel. Passport Cards can only be used for sea travel and are not valid for air travel as a passport or any other means of identification.
So, if you have a Passport Card and try to enter St Lucia with this identification card through the international airport, you won’t be allowed into the country.
US citizens that already have a passport can apply for a Passport Card but there some regulations apply to this. You can check the regulations out here if you’re interested in obtaining a Passport Card.
If you’re keen to learn more about Passport cards and EDLs, take a look at the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative arrangements and requirements here.
Passport cards are also another cost-effective means of traveling without a traditional passport as they are much cheaper to obtain.
Do You Need a Passport to Travel to St Lucia if You’re On a Cruise Ship?
One of the best ways to see as many of the 700 islands in the Caribbean as you can, is to travel on a cruise ship. If you’re traveling to St Lucia on one of the many closed-loop cruise liners that grace the Caribbean waters with their luxury, you do not need to have a passport.
The cruise ship you plan to travel with will have all the information you need regarding all the islands you’ll be visiting but for St Lucia specifically, you will not need a passport if your cruise starts and ends at the same American port.
Cruise lines like P&O, Carnival, Seaborn Odyssey, and the Britannia to name a few, sail numerous and various voyages throughout the different islands in the Caribbean.
If their port departure and arrival are the same, for example, if you’re boarding the liner at Barbados and ending your trip back in Barbados, you will not need a passport to access any of the islands the cruise plans to make port at.
Recap: Do You Need a Passport for St Lucia in 2023?
Scale mountains and explore under the deep blue sea in St Lucia when you join us for an exceptional vacation away from home, even if just for a day or two while on a cruise ship. Though once you experience the happy welcome and the adventurous atmosphere you’ll want to stay longer.
Though you don’t need a passport if sailing into St Lucia, the rules are different for those arriving by air, so we recommend having your passport on hand just in case you find yourself in a situation where your passport would otherwise come in handy. You just never know really.
