Do You Need a Passport to Travel to Puerto Rico?

Do you plan on traveling to Puerto Rico anytime soon? Have you started planning your itinerary and looking up hotels, restaurants, and attractions to visit there? Before you dive too deep into the details of your trip, it’s important that you take some time to understand the official travel requirements for Puerto Rico; namely, do you need a passport to enter this Caribbean destination?

We’ll discuss everything there is to know about entering Puerto Rico as a traveler for you to get all set to go. Keep reading so that you can begin packing stress-free – after all, an organized traveler is an excited one!

Do You Need a Passport to Travel to Puerto Rico?

If you’re thinking of traveling to Puerto Rico, you may be wondering if you need a passport. The good news is that U.S. citizens and green card holders do NOT need a passport to travel to Puerto Rico, but you should know a few things before you go. Keep reading for all the details on U.S. travel requirements for Puerto Rico!

Puerto Rico and US Citizens

Thanks to Puerto Rico’s status as a Free Commonwealth of the United States of America, there is no passport requirement for United States citizens. You will, however, need to prove your citizenship with a valid form of identification like a driver’s license.

This includes passengers from areas like Guam, the US Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Swains Island, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, as well, provided that you go directly to Puerto Rico and do not set foot in a foreign port or place before your arrival.

Travelers from ALL other countries will need a passport to both enter and leave Puerto Rico.

Obtaining a Passport

If you’re traveling to Puerto Rico and need to apply for a U.S. passport, you can go to a local court or passport office in your area. If you find that your trip is coming up and you don’t have the time to wait the six to eight weeks that is typically required for standard processing, you may choose to go through an expedited passport service instead.

These people will come to your home, collect all important documents and other information and submit it all on your behalf. They can have your completed US passport in your hand in as little as 24 to 48 hours, depending on the area of the country where you live and the time of year during which you apply. During the busy summer travel season, for example, you can usually expect processing times to be a bit longer due to the larger volumes of applicants.