How to Move to the US Virgin Islands
Choose an island., Solicit advice from local residents., Make a short visit beforehand., Contract with a shipping company to move your belongings., Arrange to ship your vehicle., Gather all of your identity documents.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Choose an island.
You have four options if you’d like to move to the USVI:
St.
Thomas, St.
John, St.
Croix, and Water Island.
St.
Thomas and St.
Croix are the largest and the most modernized, but they can be rather crowded with tourists.
St.
John is slightly smaller with some shopping available, but you will likely need to travel to the other islands for certain goods.
And, on Water Island, you will get the benefits of isolation, but will need to head to St.
Thomas for all of your supplies.Go online to forums discussing each island and ask as many questions as you can of the residents currently living there.
This will give you a better sense of the differences and similarities between them. -
Step 2: Solicit advice from local residents.
If you have a friend or family member who currently lives on the islands, get in touch with them.
Tell them about your plans and ask for their help and advice.
Describe the kind of lifestyle that you envision for yourself and tell them to be honest with you about whether or not you can find that in the USVI.
If you don’t have a contact in the USVI, visit online blogs from current residents, including people who’ve relocated, to see what they would advise for both moving and settling in.
They can give you an idea regarding local customs, such as proper travel etiquette for the safari bus.To connect with locals, browse through USVI moving forums online.
These sites are designed around a question-and-answer format with local “experts” volunteering to guide new arrivals through the moving and residency process., If you’ve never visited the islands before, try to schedule a quick trip well in advance of your move date.
This will allow you to see first-hand the neighborhood you’ll be living in.
In fact, you may even take this chance to meet with a real estate lawyer or leasing agent., Months before you plan to move, reach out to a maritime shipping agency.
Some of these companies are listed on the USVI Moving website.
The company will likely schedule an in-home survey of your items to see how much room they will require to ship.
After that, they will give you an estimate based on the cubic footage needed.Some companies will even offer to leave a shipping container at your home, giving you plenty of time to pack.
Just make sure that the container will be delivered right to your new address or you may end up lugging items up an island hill as part of your move., Most islanders would recommend that you bring a car with you.
Cars older than
2.5 years of age can avoid some of the required customs duties.
If you want to avoid the hassle of customs check-in and licensing, there are companies on the island that will actually do that for you.
Find them by contacting your island’s commerce office.It is also cheaper to bring in a car that is both made AND assembled within the United States, as this lowers the customs fees.
Find out if your car qualifies by checking the information on the driver’s side door panel.
Some people ship two cars over as part of the moving process.
They keep one car for their personal use and sell the other one to cover the total shipping cost.
You’ll often get a deal for shipping two at once.
It shouldn’t take you too long to sell the vehicles either.
In particular, Islanders are often eager to buy solid, older model small trucks., If you are a U.S. citizen, then you’ll want to bring your social security card, current driver’s license, birth certificate, and non-expired passport.
If you are not an American citizen, then you’ll need to obtain a visa for work and residency.
When you make the move, bring any and all official forms of documentation that you possess with you.The USVI fall under United States immigration requirements.
The website for the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services is a great resource for information about paperwork requirements. -
Step 3: Make a short visit beforehand.
-
Step 4: Contract with a shipping company to move your belongings.
-
Step 5: Arrange to ship your vehicle.
-
Step 6: Gather all of your identity documents.
Detailed Guide
You have four options if you’d like to move to the USVI:
St.
Thomas, St.
John, St.
Croix, and Water Island.
St.
Thomas and St.
Croix are the largest and the most modernized, but they can be rather crowded with tourists.
St.
John is slightly smaller with some shopping available, but you will likely need to travel to the other islands for certain goods.
And, on Water Island, you will get the benefits of isolation, but will need to head to St.
Thomas for all of your supplies.Go online to forums discussing each island and ask as many questions as you can of the residents currently living there.
This will give you a better sense of the differences and similarities between them.
If you have a friend or family member who currently lives on the islands, get in touch with them.
Tell them about your plans and ask for their help and advice.
Describe the kind of lifestyle that you envision for yourself and tell them to be honest with you about whether or not you can find that in the USVI.
If you don’t have a contact in the USVI, visit online blogs from current residents, including people who’ve relocated, to see what they would advise for both moving and settling in.
They can give you an idea regarding local customs, such as proper travel etiquette for the safari bus.To connect with locals, browse through USVI moving forums online.
These sites are designed around a question-and-answer format with local “experts” volunteering to guide new arrivals through the moving and residency process., If you’ve never visited the islands before, try to schedule a quick trip well in advance of your move date.
This will allow you to see first-hand the neighborhood you’ll be living in.
In fact, you may even take this chance to meet with a real estate lawyer or leasing agent., Months before you plan to move, reach out to a maritime shipping agency.
Some of these companies are listed on the USVI Moving website.
The company will likely schedule an in-home survey of your items to see how much room they will require to ship.
After that, they will give you an estimate based on the cubic footage needed.Some companies will even offer to leave a shipping container at your home, giving you plenty of time to pack.
Just make sure that the container will be delivered right to your new address or you may end up lugging items up an island hill as part of your move., Most islanders would recommend that you bring a car with you.
Cars older than
2.5 years of age can avoid some of the required customs duties.
If you want to avoid the hassle of customs check-in and licensing, there are companies on the island that will actually do that for you.
Find them by contacting your island’s commerce office.It is also cheaper to bring in a car that is both made AND assembled within the United States, as this lowers the customs fees.
Find out if your car qualifies by checking the information on the driver’s side door panel.
Some people ship two cars over as part of the moving process.
They keep one car for their personal use and sell the other one to cover the total shipping cost.
You’ll often get a deal for shipping two at once.
It shouldn’t take you too long to sell the vehicles either.
In particular, Islanders are often eager to buy solid, older model small trucks., If you are a U.S. citizen, then you’ll want to bring your social security card, current driver’s license, birth certificate, and non-expired passport.
If you are not an American citizen, then you’ll need to obtain a visa for work and residency.
When you make the move, bring any and all official forms of documentation that you possess with you.The USVI fall under United States immigration requirements.
The website for the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services is a great resource for information about paperwork requirements.
About the Author
Katherine Allen
Specializes in breaking down complex crafts topics into simple steps.
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