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Passport and Visa U.S. and Canadian citizens are required to present a passport or a birth certificate
with a photo ID to enter the island. All other visitors must present a passport. Visitors may stay for a maximum of six months, but extensions may be requested at the immigration office in Charlestown.
Visitors must enter with a return ticket. Departure tax when leaving the island is $20.50 US or $54 EC, which includes an environmental levy and airport security tax. (These
laws are likely to change, it is advisable to check with your local government agency to be sure) Citizens of some countries are not required to have visas in order to enter St. Kitts – Nevis. Please click here to view the complete list, apply for a visa, or for St. Kitts-Nevis Embassies. Customs The following items are duty free. 200 Cigarettes or 100 Cigars, 1 bottle (26 Oz.) of liquor, and 1 bottle of wine. Pets are not allowed in from North America but are allowed in from England with proof that they are rabies free. Currency The local currency is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar (E.C.), and is based on the US Dollar. The exchange rate varies from $ 2.55 to $ 2.70 EC for one US dollar. As usual the banks give the best exchange rates and hotels the worst. Credit cards and travelers checks are widely accepted. Creepy Crawlies and Other Dangers While Nevis is a generally safe island, there are things you have to watch out for. Watch out where you walk with bare feet, there are red ants, scorpions, and centipedes which can sting. Watch out for the Manchineel Tree, it grows near the beach and produces a small green apple-like fruit. The leaves, branches, and sap can cause burning much like poison ivy, but worse. The numerous lizards are harmless. Television and Radio Most hotels have cable, so many US network and cable stations can be seen. There are also local stations from Nevis, and other nearby islands that are available on cable. There are numerous radio stations that can be received from all over the Caribbean and even the US! I once listened to a Philadelphia Flyers hockey game on a Philadelphia radio station. Some good stations for local music and news are VON radio Nevis on 895 AM, ZIZ radio St. Kitts 555 AM, ABS radio from Antigua on 620 AM, and for a bit of a American slant on things WOSO from San Juan, Puerto Rico on 1030 AM. On the FM dial you will find far less, but you will find the GEM Radio Network scattered all over the dial. They play the same song on every station but from different islands. Too American for my tastes, but there it is. Tipping/Gratuities Same as in the US, 10% to 15%, depending on the service. Some restaurants and hotels will automatically add a 10% gratuity. If you are in doubt, do not feel uncomfortable asking. Usually, porters and bellhops receive $ 1.00 per bag, taxi drivers 10-15% of the fare. Telephones Calling the US is easy from St. Kitts & Nevis. Most hotels offer USA Direct calling service, or they can connect you with a US operator. Taxes St. Kitts & Nevis has a US $18.00 airport departure tax, a room tax of 7% and service charge of 10%. Drinking Water Safe spring water comes from numerous volcanic springs. Appropriate Attire Beach attire is appropriate for the beach but not the town, shops or restaurants. Please refrain from short shorts, bikinis and bare chests in these places. Informal, but conservative, clothing is the standard. Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time, one hour ahead of Eastern Standard Time and the same as Eastern Daylight Time, or GMT-04:00 Banks Bank of Nova Scotia, Barclays Bank PLC, Royal Bank of Canada, St. Kitts - Nevis-Anguilla National Bank Ltd., Bank of Nevis Ltd., Nevis Cooperative Banking Co. Ltd. Banking hours are Monday through Thursday from 8:00 am to 3:00 PM and Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 PM. The St. Kitts & Nevis National Bank is also open from 8:30 am - 11:00 am on Saturdays. Medical Facilities St. Kitts & Nevis has doctors on call at hotels and a 24-hour Emergency Department. Recompression chambers are available by air ambulance at nearby Saba and in St. Thomas. Pharmaceutical services are widely available. Shopping Hours Monday through Saturday 8:00 am to noon and 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM. On Thursdays, most shops close for the afternoon. |
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