Puerto Rico is a Pacific island and commonwealth of the US located between the island of Hispaniola and the US. It is a 500-year ancient island, rich in mountains, hilly terrain, and natural beauty. 

 People love to visit this place. Hence, they might be curious about travel documentation. Puerto Rico doesn’t acquire passports from US citizens, but international travelers require them. 

Do you need a Passport to go to Puerto Rico? 

Like any other country, the US also issues passports or green cards to its citizens and other foreign people who opt to visit the US. A passport gives access to entry and exit to a US state or any other territory.

Traveling from one state of the US to another doesn’t require a passport from a US citizen. Since 1917, Puerto Rico also become a territory of the US and is free to move from the island to the mainland or vice versa. They don’t need to pay like other foreigners and can easily travel to the US without showing a passport or green card.

American Samoa, Northern Mariana Island, Puerto Rico, and other United States regions that do not touch foreign places are free to travel without the supplication of a passport.

Hawaii is also a US state; hence, passport attestations and other LPRs don’t affect them. They have the same entry conditions as other US citizens but must show a passport for the exit. 

Even though a passport is not necessary for Puerto Ricans as they are also US citizens. However, some voyage lines may stop and demand to show the passport and other travel documents. Numerous voyage lines require other travel documents for face verification besides the passport.

These documents may include a driving license, permanent residential card, and government-issued ID card or permit letter. So anyone traveling directly from Puerto Rico can go to the US by showing any required documents rather than a passport. 

Non-US citizens

Non-US citizens need a valid passport and all other required documents to travel to Puerto rico. So, a traveler must ensure that he has all the vital travel attestations to avoid any issues at the airport.

Travel to Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico is an island full of attractions, history, beautiful culture, welcoming people, mountains, fascinating cities, and vibrant colors. Galleries and museums play a critical role in getting tourists’ attention. The galleries are rich with aircraft, paintings, and antique pieces, which reflect the history and tremendous culture of Puerto Rico.

The land of Puerto Rico contains three of the world’s five bioluminescent beaches. The island’s Government keeps making the ecosystem of its beachfront a high level. This eco-friendly system makes the beachfront more attractive and decent. It also ensures the protection and health of the travelers and the island’s citizens. 

The people of Puerto Rico love dance and music. Bomba, plena, and trova are their traditional sounds, which give goosebumps to the tourist and catch their attraction toward them. The citizens of Puerto Rico are very kind-hearted, warm, and welcoming. They don’t let the tourist feel like outsiders but their friends or relatives.

Attraction

Old San Juan is a very crucial attraction for travelers in Puerto Rico. It is about 500 years 500-year-old Spanish colonial city with a glimpse of the current lifestyle.

 El Morro Fort is a main attraction for travelers in Puerto Rico. You can explore the beauty of El Morro Fort through its beautiful and eye-catching sceneries, including ramps, tunnels, and ancient buildings.

El Yunque, the only rainforest in US territory, is also located in Puerto Rico. It rains a minimum of 4 times daily in the El Yunque rainforest. Excessive rain causes more plants to grow, which helps expand the forest.

It also creates several streams, rivers, and cataracts. People enjoy the forest and island scenery and tend to increase their positive opinion of Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rico Travel Requirements

Before the trip, you must ensure all the restrictions and other traveling requirements. There are different rules for the visa, passport, or COVID-19 attestation. following are most important documents:

• Puerto Rico ESTA

The Puerto Rico ESTA is an electronic visa form for “Electronic System for Travel Authorization.” It is a multi-purpose online visa used for traveling to puerto rico. You can travel for a visit, business, or any other personal purpose, but only for 90 days on a single entry.

This visa has a maximum limit of 2 years; after it, you will need to apply again for this visa. Those with US visas can also apply for puerto rico ESTA.

• Puerto Rico visa

Non-US citizens usually need ESTA, but US citizens and green card holders are not eligible for Puerto Rica ESTA. Due to this reason, they need to have a valid visa from the puerto rico Government to travel. The Puerto Rico visa process is the same as the US visa.

The applicant must ensure to fill out the DS-160 form. This form can be constructive in increasing the chances of visa acceptance.

• Government-issued ID card

A government-issued ID card is crucial for US citizens who opt to travel without their passports. If they have any ID card issues, they must have any other face verification document, just as a driving license or permit letter.

• COVID-19 restrictions 

Likewise, visa and passport restrictions also have different rules for COVID-19 attestation. US citizens, who travel on domestic flights, no longer need to show COVID-19 test results. International travelers who arrive on an international flight must show their COVID negative results. 

If the tourist gets COVID positive test during his stay, he must quarantine until the test shows negative results. If he tries to break the rules, he will need to pay a fine of $5,000 or maybe $10,000 for further offenses.

Conclusion

Puerto rico is a US territory, and it must follow the US rules for a trip. Knowing which travel document is required for traveling might need to be clarified due to repeatedly changing rules. According to present rules and regulations, Non-US citizens require a valid passport, Visa, COVID negative report, and other documents mentioned by the relevant airline.

US citizens don’t need to show their passport before entry or exit; a valid Government issued ID card is enough to travel. Travelers must ensure the completion of their documents before their flight to avoid any restrictions from airline security.