Planning a dental trip but getting confused by the travel requirements? Check out this guide that mentions travel documents for Puerto Rico for a hassle-free dental vacation!
US Nationals don’t require visa or passport to enter Puerto Rico
Travel Documents Required by US Citizens To Enter Puerto Rico
Before getting dental work in Puerto Rico, you must sort out the travel requirements.
While booking flight tickets is an easy task, organizing travel documents could get messy.
However, the travel requirements for US nationals are almost non-existing because Puerto Rico is a part of US territory!
You must only present a valid ID document while flying domestically to Puerto Rico.
Additionally, you’d need to file a travel declaration before entering Puerto Rico. Click here to file!
What Constitutes a Valid ID Document?
While boarding the flight from the US mainland to Puerto Rico, you must present a valid ID document.
As a medical tourist, you have the option to present any one of the following documents: [1]
- US passport
- US passport card
- Permanent resident card
- Foreign government-issued passport
- State-issued Enhanced Driver's License
- DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
- US Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents
- An acceptable photo ID issued by a federally recognized Tribal Nation/Indian Tribe
- HSPD-12 PIV card
- Border crossing card
- U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential
- Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC)
- Transportation worker identification credential
- Canadian provincial driver's license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card
- US Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766)
- Driver's licenses or any other photo identity cards issued by the DMV
In short, for US Nationals, traveling to Puerto Rico entails:
You don’t have to exchange currency since the US dollar is the official currency of Puerto Rico.
If you are a US green card holder, you still don't require a visa or passport to enter Puerto Rico.
This fact persists even if your country of origin requires a visa/passport to enter the country.
However, you must present a valid resident's permit/card/immigration paper (such as a government-issued photo ID) while traveling.
You must note that starting 3 May 2023, all US citizens will need to present a real ID while boarding flights domestically.
This implies that while traveling to Puerto Rico, you would have to present a real id that will bear one of the following symbols: [2]
Symbols representing a real ID in US
In case you don't have a document that is real ID compliant, you can also present:
- A Passport
- A Passport Card
- A state-issued Enhanced Driver's License (EDL)
Travel Documents Required by Foreign Nationals To Enter Puerto Rico
For other international tourists entering Puerto Rico, the following documents are required:
- Passport (with at least 6 months validity)
- Travel Declaration
- ESTA for a stay up to 90 days or B2 visa if the stay is for 90+ days. Click here to apply for ESTA
Visa Waiver Program (VWP)
You must be a citizen or national of the following countries to be eligible to travel to the United States (including Puerto Rico) without a visa: [3]
🇦🇩 Andorra
🇦🇺 Australia
🇦🇹 Austria
🇧🇪 Belgium
🇧🇳 Brunei
🇨🇱 Chile
🇭🇷 Croatia
🇨🇿 Czech Republic
🇩🇰 Denmark
🇪🇪 Estonia
🇫🇮 Finland
🇫🇷 France
🇩🇪 Germany
🇬🇷 Greece
🇭🇺 Hungary
🇮🇸 Iceland
🇮🇪 Ireland
🇮🇹 Italy
🇯🇵 Japan
🇱🇻 Latvia
🇱🇮 Liechtenstein
🇱🇹 Lithuania
🇱🇺 Luxembourg
🇲🇹 Malta
🇲🇨 Monaco
🇳🇱 Netherlands
🇳🇿 New Zealand
🇳🇴 Norway
🇵🇱 Poland
🇵🇹 Portugal
🇸🇲 San Marino
🇸🇬 Singapore
🇸🇰 Slovakia
🇸🇮 Slovenia
🇰🇷 South Korea
🇪🇸 Spain
🇸🇪 Sweden
🇨🇭 Switzerland
🇹🇼 Taiwan
🇬🇧 United Kingdom*
*To be eligible to travel under the VWP, British citizens must have the unrestricted right of permanent abode in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man.
Masks are no longer mandatory on this Caribbean island! However, they are recommended on public transport. [4]
As per the latest mandate, [5]
- Domestic travelers neither require proof of vaccination nor a negative COVID-19 report to enter Puerto Rico.
- However, international patients require proof of vaccination. Though, a negative COVID-19 report is no longer required.
CDC recommends that domestic/international travelers be fully-vaccinated against: [6]
- Chickenpox, Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis, Influenza, MMR, Polio, Shingles (Routine vaccines)
- Covid-19
- Hepatitis A & B
- Measles
- Rabies
- Typhoid
In addition to these, travelers must remember to carry a bug spray and avoid bug bites to prevent:
- African Tick Bite Fever
- Dengue
- Zika
Disclaimer: Laws are subject to change. You are requested to check out the official tourism website of Puerto Rico one month before traveling for updated travel requirements.
