Question - What Kind of Documents Do I Need to go to Puerto Rico?

[Question] I want to plan a surprise trip to Puerto Rico for my family, what documents will my wife, myself and our two children need to travel?

[Answer from Puerto Rico Travel Guide] What a great gift for your family! In order to travel to Puerto Rico from the United States - you will need passports for each member of your family. We can help you if you need to obtain new passports or simply renew your passports by walking your applications through and making it a fast and seamless process from start to finish.

Additionally, you will need to start the process by providing identifying information such as a driver's license or state-issued i.d.; or a certified copy of your birth certificate - which we can also help you obtain.

If you're ready to start planning your vacation now, let our office help you get your travel docs zipped up tight and ready to go. You can start the process by placing a call to our offices today at 855-715-1062 or visit our order form and we'll get started right now.

Before Your Next Puerto Rico Trip....

There are so many places to visit in Puerto Rico. Very few other island getaways are so close to the United States and have blue ribbon beaches, forests for exploring and mountains to view. The mountains located on the east side of the island are the very reason that Puerto Rico has suffered little damage over the years due to storms as the mountains act as a natural barrier, protecting the rest of the island.

You don't have to just go to San Juan, there are numerous destinations in Puerto Rico. The Adjuntas located in the southern middle area of the country are a stone's throw from beaches, historical areas and have a growing bed and breakfast and hotel industry.
A lot of this area is still undeveloped so you get a taste of real Puerto Rico along with all the amenities that you want as a visitor to another locale.

Before you go to Puerto Rico, make sure you have an updated passport. You most likely won't be asked to flash your passport to enter Puerto Rico if you're exiting a flight from the United States or a cruise ship, however you will need a passport to re-enter the United States no matter how you arrive. Make sure your passport is updated or you may be a guest of Puerto Rico longer than you intended.

We can make it easy, just contact our offices and we can expedite your passport application or renewal as well as obtain a certified copy of your birth certificate if you need personal documents to get the process rolling, call our offices today at 855-715-1062 or visit our order form.

Looking for Things to Do in Puerto Rico?

If you're planning a trip to Puerto Rico and you're curious about what to do for fun; here are a few ideas that the locals will be enjoying. Over the next several weeks:

Puerto Rico Hustle & Salsa Festival in San Juan - Thursday, 15 Oct 2009 through October 18, 2009. Competitions - San Juan and Metro - San Juan

To witness the best salsa dancing ever seen, Billy Fajardo, Tito Ortos, Tamara Livolsi and Albert Torres once again invite dance enthusiasts to join them at the 4th Annual Puerto Rico Hustle & Salsa Festival.

If you're a fleet manager, you may find new networking contacts at the Convencion 2009 Assoc. Gerentes de Flota de PR in San Juan - Thursday, 05 Nov 2009 Business - San Juan and Metro - San Juan. This event sponsored by the Fleet Managers Association of Puerto Rico.

Christian film fan? Check out the International Christian Short Film and Art Design Festival 2009 in Mayaguez - Friday 20 Nov 2009 Festivals - Mayaguez - Mayaguez. This festival is free of charge to attend.

Those are just a few of the upcoming "off the beaten path" events you can enjoy in Puerto Rico. Remember, even though it's a US territory and you don't need a passport to enter Puerto Rico, you will need one to re-enter the United States. Call our offices today or use this form to make sure your travel documents are completely up to date.

Do You Need a Passport for Travel to Puerto Rico from U.S.?

The shortest answer to that question would be No and Yes. Confused?
Don't be.

Puerto Rico is an American Territory and you don't need a passport to travel there, however as of June 2009 the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative that went into effect states all travels coming in to the United States are required to have passports. This includes travelers from United States territories.

If you're traveling to Puerto Rico, make sure that you have your paperwork in order and if you need a certified copy of your birth certificate, passport or visa - let us help you make the process fast and painless.

You can fill out an order form here or just call our offices at 855-715-1062 to get the latest information on travel to make your personal planning even easier.

Updated Travel Regulations June 2009!

If you've already booked a trip to Puerto Rico, make sure that you have a bead on the new travel restrictions that are going into effect in June 2009.

The major change for travelers from the United States will be that they will need a passport after June 1, 2009 to re-enter the country. This means if you visited a country you previously didn't need a passport for such as the Caribbean, Mexico, Canada or Bermuda either by air or ship, you will now need a passport to come back into the United States.

Failure to have a passport will result in being denied re-entry until a passport is acquired. The passport process in Canada and Mexico can take weeks and in Bermuda it can take up to 3 months on the average. If you don't want to extend your vacation (and let's face it - your boss really will mind) - make sure you have your passport up to date and have it with you whenever you travel.

The Lesser Known Puerto Rico Beaches

So, you love the warm sun, beautiful ocean waters and sandy beaches, who doesn’t? And that in itself may present a problem, especially if everywhere you have gone for that relaxing vacation has turned out to be a little over-crowded for your tastes. And, quite possibly every place that you are considering and have talked with people about seems like it will be more of the same.

Have you considered Puerto Rico? Not the widely advertised tourist type of Puerto Rico, but the more secluded laid-back areas made just for you. It’s true there are many beautiful beaches where you can watch the sun rise and set over the ocean. However, there are some beaches that are not part of Puerto Rico’s mainland; instead they can be found on islands off the coast. Most often these will provide a scarcely populated beach that oozes with that traditional tropical paradise that you have always envisioned.

One such area is Mona Island, which has been compared to Galapagos Island and there are some very interesting species of animals that call it home and as a result it is closed to tourists during hunting season (January – April). To make it even more alluring tours are only offered from May through November and in order to even visit the island you will need a permit from the Natural Resources and Environmental Department.

You may also want to consider Shacks Beach, or Bajuras, of Isabela Island known for the best snorkeling water in the area. You will also notice the wonderful sleepy looking coconut palms that line the beach and they seem to call out to you to come for a little siesta under their fronds.

There are some really great, scarcely populated beaches that await you off the mainland of Puerto Rico so get your travel papers together and start planning your next vacation now.

Puerto Rico and Art

When most people think of vacationing in Puerto Rico they are not necessarily thinking of the type of scenery they can experience except the natural type. However, Puerto Rico while a beautiful island is not just known for that. There are many talented and prolific artists in this beautiful land.

Puerto Rico is filled with many beautiful galleries and museums that are brimming with wonderful and colorful native artists. Many are in the capital of San Juan but there are great ones outside the city as well. The Centro de Artes Populares is a well known center for Puerto Rican Artists. Information on it follows below taken from the site Puerto Rican Painter dot com.

Centro de Artes Populares
( San Juan , Puerto Rico )

This restored colonial building houses the Popular Arts Center of the Instituto de Cultura Puertorriquena. Three galleries hold changing exhibitions of works by Puerto Rican artisans. There is also a shop on the premises that offers a diverse selection of crafts, ranging from traditional Puerto Rican musical instruments, such as the cuatro, to santos , the carved wooden saints for which the island is famous. Jewelry, straw hats, pottery, furniture, sculptures, rugs and prints of typical Puerto Rican life round out the inventory.
253 Calle Cristo
Old San Juan
1/787/723-1773
Mon-Sat 9:30am-5pm
Free admission

Breaking Travel News

Image via WikipediaGood News for all of the Regent Hotels and Resorts fans. The company has just broken ground for the building of its newest hotel and resort, The Regent Palmas del Mar Puerto Rico. The resort will be located 30 minutes southeast of San Juan.

The resort promises to be a wonderful luxurious addition to an already lush area. The Regent Palmas del Mar Puerto Rico will have 150 rooms and will offer beachfront accommodations. It is scheduled to open in December of 2011. So for any travelers to Puerto Rico, this will be a future bright spot to look forward to visiting.

Of course with everything that is already available in Puerto Rico there is no reason to wait until this resort is done. Travelers that are looking for a great vacation experience should definitely put Puerto Rico on their itinerary.

What Exactly are Puerto Rican Passports?

Image by stuart.mundy via FlickrIf you ever came across the phrase 'Puerto Rico passports', you would have definitely wondered whether Puerto Rico is an independent country. Well, it is not. Puerto Rico is an integral part of the United States of America and its residents are US citizens. If this is so, how and why has this phrase been used?

Many people are not aware that the USA has two major commonwealths: (1) Puerto Rico, which was always considered a highly advantageous military location in the Caribbean for America, and (2) Northern Marianas. Besides these, there are 12 unincorporated territories or possessions out of which only four are inhabited: US Virgin Islands, Guam, Midway Islands, and American Samoa. The residents of these US Commonwealths and possessions, except for those of American Samoa, are all US citizens. The latter are only US nationals, but not US citizens.

Puerto Rico has always been one of the most wanted destinations for tourists from all over the world. During the 1930s however, this amazing island was far from popular. The reason was that a large group of terrorists was caught during that period, where the majority was found in possession of ids and travel documents issued in Puerto Rico.

The false documents, particularly the Puerto Rico passports and Puerto Rico birth certificates, which permitted these terrorists to travel as US citizens throughout the world, caused immense embarrassment and pain to the citizens of Puerto Rico as they unexpectedly became synonymous with nefarious activities. The phrase 'Puerto Rico passports' had been coined at that time. Many people, even travel agencies, still harbor the misconception that such documents, which are supposedly issued in Puerto Rico, were and are outside the jurisdiction of the United States.

The truth was that in the past, no American required a passport for traveling back and forth to the Caribbean. There are no such documents known as Puerto Rico passports. However, with effect from 23 January 2007, US citizens were required to present a valid US passport or any equivalent travel document such as Air Nexus Card, passport card or US Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Document when they re-entered the United States by air.

Under the directives of WHTI (Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative) from 1 June 2009 onwards, these rules would be extended to all US citizens who travel to Bermuda, Caribbean, Mexico, Central, and South America regardless of whether they travel by air, land, or sea. Such travel would require that all US citizens carry a valid passport, WHTI approved document or passport card when they return to the USA.

Cold Weather Means Heading to Tropical Paradise-Puerto Rico

Image by Michael Buck via Flickr
If you are thinking about the upcoming winter months and dreading the awful weather that you know is heading your way, you may be considering traveling to a warmer climate. Many people are thinking just along those lines this time of year. Puerto Rico has long been a prime vacation location, and it is becoming increasingly more popular. But how long before your actual trip should you decide to make your travel plans and reservations? Many individuals do not think about this until after it is too late to make and finalize their plans.

If you are an individual that is looking to Puerto Rico as your winter vacation destination, it is imperative that you do not wait till the last minute to make your travel plans. You won't be the only individual that is thinking of sandy beaches and warm glistening waters for this winter season; don't fool yourself into thinking you will be. Hotel reservations and flights for the warmer areas are going to be filling up fast for the this time of year, especially the holiday season.

Another reason that you do not want to wait to the last minute is that you want to be able to get the best hotel rates and prices for flights as possible. In order to make sure that you get the best rates and that you are able to take your trip at all, it is best to book your vacation reservations about three months in advance. This is just smart traveling sense and will ensure that you are able to spend your vacation the way you want and not wishing you had done things differently.

If you are looking to spend the winter months lying on the beach and enjoying the gorgeous Puerto Rican weather, be sure that you make your reservations in a timely manner. While many let procrastination get the best of them, it should not be the case where winter travel is concerned. You don't want to find yourself surrounded by snow and 10 degree weather, wishing you were somewhere much warmer, such as Puerto Rico.