Entry requirements for Caribbean islands

[MG1]

Hi, all,
I'm planning on doing some independent travel around the Caribbean islands around the middle of the year and would like to ask for some tips. (I've already booked my points flights in and out of the USA to facilitate this.)

What entry requirements / visas would I need to enter this part of the world (from the USA)? What's the best source/website to obtain this information?

Has anyone had any unexpected issues with regards to accessing these islands?

Similarly, I've read some rather unflattering reviews of local airlines there, such as Intercaribbean Airways and Caribbean Airlines - has anyone made use of these airlines and would you recommend them?

I was about to book a flight with Intercaribbean Airways but something about there website doesn't seem right to me. With the box where you need to accept the Ts&Cs, when you click on the link, it brings up a 404 error. With the sending e-mails checkbox, it was telling me that I needed to have this checked whether I wanted to receive the e-mails or not. Finally, they seem to request passport information that other airlines don't require at the time of booking.
It seems not quite right but there aren't any alternatives to get between the islands in question on the day that I need to travel between them.

Any assistance would be grateful.

 

[Mwenenzi]

What entry requirements / visas would I need to enter this part of the world (from the USA)? What's the best source/website to obtain this information?

Go to government web sites of the countries you are visiting.
samples

• GOV.BB
• Visas
• How to apply for a visa to enter Trinidad and Tobago? – Ministry of National Security

Are a lot of fake visa web sites.

And AU govt smart traveller

Trinidad and Tobago

Australian Government travel advice for Trinidad and Tobago. Learn more about local safety, laws and health risks.

www.smartraveller.gov.au

timatic can give some guidance

IATA Travel Centre

The IATA Travel Centre provides personalized passport, visa and health requirements advice based on your personal details and itinerary.

www.iata.org

Wikipedia. Check carefully - may not be accurate

Visa requirements for Australian citizens - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

A commercial guide. Would treat with great caution

Trinidad and Tobago Visa - Visa Types, Policy and Requirements

visaguide.world

Airlines

InterCaribbean Airways - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Caribbean Airlines - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

---
I would have this basic research before booking flights.

 

[MG1]

Go to government web sites of the countries you are visiting.
samples

• GOV.BB
• Visas
• How to apply for a visa to enter Trinidad and Tobago? – Ministry of National Security

Are a lot of fake visa web sites.

And AU govt smart traveller

Trinidad and Tobago

Australian Government travel advice for Trinidad and Tobago. Learn more about local safety, laws and health risks.

www.smartraveller.gov.au

timatic can give some guidance

IATA Travel Centre

The IATA Travel Centre provides personalized passport, visa and health requirements advice based on your personal details and itinerary.

www.iata.org

Wikipedia. Check carefully - may not be accurate

Visa requirements for Australian citizens - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

A commercial guide. Would treat with great caution

Trinidad and Tobago Visa - Visa Types, Policy and Requirements

visaguide.world

Airlines

InterCaribbean Airways - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Caribbean Airlines - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

---
I would have this basic research before booking flights.

@Mwenenzi: thanks for the links, particularly the governmental ones. I will continue investigating to see what's required.

With regards to travelling around the Caribbean / island-hopping; is this something that you've done before? If so, how did you go about it?

 

[SYD]

Sherpa is a handy website. It came to prominence with info on COVID travel restrictions but still going strong. Enter your PP country and travel from/to to get info. There’s usually a link to official info on obtaining visas - as applicable.

Visa and Travel Requirements for every destination

apply.joinsherpa.com

 

[RooFlyer]

Agree with @SYD re Sherpa. Probably the best in-one-place resource.

 

[MG1]

Thank you both @SYD and @RooFlyer.

 

[Zero]

You mentioned the trip will start and end with flights via the USA.

When you go through the US using an ESTA and subsequently go to Caribbean islands (as well as Canada and Mexico), for immigration purposes the US considers time spent there to be time spent in the US.

This becomes a problem if the whole trip lasts more than 90 days from the first time you enter the US. If you haven't travelled outside North America and the Caribbean during this time, you won't be allowed to go through the US again as you will be considered to have overstayed.

 

[Happy Dude]

I've done a bit there, independently, to watch cricket in Trinidad, and went to St Vincent & The Grenadines. They're Commonwealth Countries, as are many, so it was VOA. Assuming you're not referring to Cuba which of course is a whole other ball game re visas/entry. I had only the one return flight and they're unavoidable in many places but I wouldn't design a trip that relied upon them too much. The ferries would be way more fun. Many of the other Aussies there that were going to the other tests (Domenica and Barbados I think) were using airpass type tickets on BWIA.

I'd seriously consider another trip there for the cricket, but the standard of the Windies these days.....

 

[RooFlyer]

When you go through the US using an ESTA and subsequently go to Caribbean islands (as well as Canada and Mexico), for immigration purposes the US considers time spent there to be time spent in the US.

I’ve spent up to about six weeks flitting between the USA in Canada, and had never heard of that one.

Do you know if it also applies to a B1/B2 Visa?

 

[Mwenenzi]

I’ve spent up to about six weeks flitting between the USA in Canada, and had never heard of that one.

Do you know if it also applies to a B1/B2 Visa?

If your return journey will take you back through the United States, even if only in transit, the total trip, including both periods of time spent in the United States/Canada/Mexico Bermuda, or the islands in the Caribbean cannot exceed 90 days. If it does, you will require a visa.

Comes up on a google search, but cannot determine where google is pulling from or a USA govt link. Have read of this before.

Some text in wikipedia. Visa Waiver Program - Wikipedia

 

[justinbrett]

This becomes a problem if the whole trip lasts more than 90 days from the first time you enter the US. If you haven't travelled outside North America and the Caribbean during this time, you won't be allowed to go through the US again as you will be considered to have overstayed.

You are absolutely correct, and this isn't new (it's been the rule for as long as I can remember). It's to stop people doing "border runs" to stay in the US indefinitely. Guatemala should qualify as resetting the clock, but I had previously seen North America used as the definition, which would make Colombia the closest (at which point Europe is closer).

If you are admitted to the United States under the VWP, you may take a short trip to Canada, Mexico, or a nearby island and generally be readmitted to the United States under the VWP for the remainder of the original 90 days granted upon your initial arrival in the United States. Therefore, the length of time of your total stay, including the short trip, must be 90 days or less. See the CBP website. Citizens of VWP countries* who reside in Mexico, Canada, or a nearby island are generally exempted from the requirement to show onward travel to another country* when entering the United States. Learn more on the CBP website.

Visa Waiver Program

travel.state.gov

 

[justinbrett]

I was about to book a flight with Intercaribbean Airways but something about there website doesn't seem right to me. With the box where you need to accept the Ts&Cs, when you click on the link, it brings up a 404 error. With the sending e-mails checkbox, it was telling me that I needed to have this checked whether I wanted to receive the e-mails or not. Finally, they seem to request passport information that other airlines don't require at the time of booking.
It seems not quite right but there aren't any alternatives to get between the islands in question on the day that I need to travel between them.

Any assistance would be grateful.

Some here at AFF will disagree with me, but I think this is one of those times booking through a third party makes sense. My go to for third party flights is Expedia as they have a 24/7 call centre and webchat, the business is registered in Australia (meaning you are covered by Australian consumer law) and their booking system gives you a lot of control over your booking. I'm flying with Avianca later this month and the Avianca site doesn't allow multi city bookings, but I was able to book this through Expedia for a really good rate. I've even had a few schedule changes and Expedia have been great. I certainly agree to stay away when you can book direct, but for very small foreign airlines I think it's worth a look.

I have checked and they do resell interCaribbean. For the route I checked, Expedia was actually cheaper than booking direct (although check the fare conditions).

I haven't flown with them, but I have flown with Caribbean, they were fine (flew POS-BGI). Better than Bahamasair, they were pretty bad.

 

[MG1]

Thank you to @Zero, @Happy Dude, @RooFlyer, @Mwenenzi, and @justinbrett (I hope that I didn't leave anyone out).

 

[MG1]

Some here at AFF will disagree with me, but I think this is one of those times booking through a third party makes sense. My go to for third party flights is Expedia as they have a 24/7 call centre and webchat, the business is registered in Australia (meaning you are covered by Australian consumer law) and their booking system gives you a lot of control over your booking. I'm flying with Avianca later this month and the Avianca site doesn't allow multi city bookings, but I was able to book this through Expedia for a really good rate. I've even had a few schedule changes and Expedia have been great. I certainly agree to stay away when you can book direct, but for very small foreign airlines I think it's worth a look.

I have checked and they do resell interCaribbean. For the route I checked, Expedia was actually cheaper than booking direct (although check the fare conditions).

I haven't flown with them, but I have flown with Caribbean, they were fine (flew POS-BGI). Better than Bahamasair, they were pretty bad.

I could look into booking via third party (I always thought that this wasn't recommended though). For one route that I checked on Expedia, they are only picking up the most basic (i.e. non-refundable) fare for particular airlines. When you check "No change fee", that airline disappears from the result list. I'll keep looking.

 

[Happy Dude]

Here's my LIAT ticket @MG1. Booked direct with LIAT online.

 

[MG1]

Here's my LIAT ticket @MG1. Booked direct with LIAT online.

View attachment 371018

Thanks for sharing @Happy Dude - very interesting.

 

[RooFlyer]

Was looking for visa requirements for Trinidad & Tobago and have found conflicting advice. Plenty of on-line sources (incl Smarttraveller) say that for Australian citizens a visa on arrival, or a 'visa waiver' is available.

However, on the TT visa page Visa Online Services – Ministry of National Security
I can't see any mention of it and the first few steps in the visa application process gives no wriggle-room




Sherpa agrees (linking to the above TT web page.

Obviously the TT site is authoritative but I think it odd that the conflicting advice is all over the place. Also that, given the list of countries that are visa exempt, I'm surprised that Australians need a visa. What ever did we do to upset Brian Lara?

So, @Happy Dude , @MG1 or anyone else, recently, what was your experience, please?

 

[Happy Dude]

Almost certain that it was VoA back in 2013 @RooFlyer. I can't recall if a payment was required though.

 

[Scarlett]

Can’t help with T&T @RooFlyer but for the purposes of the thread title, I’ve got some Caribbean travel booked for Jan25 and don’t require a visa for any of: Jamaica, Bahamas, Turks & Caicos, or Cayman Islands.

I used timatic to check, through an Emirates link.

 

[RooFlyer]

Can’t help with T&T @RooFlyer but for the purposes of the thread title, I’ve got some Caribbean travel booked for Jan25 and don’t require a visa for any of: Jamaica, Bahamas, Turks & Caicos, or Cayman Islands.

I used timatic to check, through an Emirates link.

Thanks - yes T&T is the only one that I've found where a visa is mentioned.

I sent an e-mail to their 'immigration' e-mail and got a prompt reply, mostly pro forma about getting a visa, with links & docs required. Then, at the very end, it says 'NB: Visa waiver can be obtained upon arrival.' ! Timatic agrees.

I'm going to reply, asking for some sort of documentation for that.