Wanderlust World Wanderlust World Passport books are the most commonly accepted form of travel documentation for international travel to the Caribbean. In addition, passport books are the only form of travel documentation accepted at all points of entry in the Caribbean, whether by land, sea or air. Passport books are the most expensive form of travel documentation available but they are accepted as identification anywhere in the world. In the Caribbean there are three other forms of identification that are accepted at sea and land points of entry.
Passport cards contain the same information as passport books but in a smaller, more compact form. Passport cards are the size of your driver's license, feature your photo and when scanned by customs officials, provide all of your citizenship information. Passport cards are issued much the same way as passport books are, through the U.S. Department of State. They are much less expensive, however. Passport cards are only accepted at land and sea ports in the Caribbean, Mexico and Canada. They are not acceptable for use in any other country, nor are they accepted at airports in the Caribbean.
The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative introduced Enhanced Driver's Licenses in the late 2000s to residents of New York, Michigan, Washington and Vermont. The EDL is a driver's license that works much the same way as a passport card because they provide your personal and citizenship information when scanned by customs agents. EDLs were originally introduced for those who frequently travel across the Mexican and Canadian borders so they can drive into a specialized lane, which allows faster entrance into the country. Over time, certain countries in the Caribbean, such as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, began accepting EDLs in lieu of passports for those entering the country by ship. EDLs are not permitted for air travel.
The Trusted Traveler Program is a secondary travel documentation program enacted by the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative following the September 11, 2001 terror attacks on the United States. The Nexus, Sentri and Fast cards are issued to those who travel frequently for business to Canada and Mexico. Holders of these cards are permitted to use a special lane for faster entrance into the country. While these cards cannot be used for air travel in the Caribbean, they are permitted at any sea or land port for re-entry into the United States. If you choose to use your Trusted Traveler Program card to visit any country in the Caribbean, you are required to present a secondary form of identification, such as your birth certificate, as well.