Saint Christopher and Nevis (St Kitts & Nevis) travel advice

This advice has been reviewed and reissued with amendments to the Summary (Political gatherings) and the Health section. The overall level of the advice has not changed.

Travel Summary

• There is no British High Commission in St Kitts and Nevis. For emergency consular assistance, please telephone the British Honorary Consul (+869 466 8888; mobile +869 762 8888). Alternatively, you can contact the British High Commission in Barbados . See the Contact Details section of this Travel Advice.
  
  
• St Kitts and Nevis will hold a General Election by March 2010. It is likely that there will be frequent political rallies and street parades in the weeks running up to the election date. Visitors are advised to avoid all political gatherings.
  
  
• The hurricane season in St Kitts and Nevis normally runs from June to November. See Natural Disasters section of this Travel Advice and our Tropical Cyclones page.
  
  
• Around 4,700 British nationals visited St Kitts and Nevis in 2008 (Source: Ministry of Tourism). Most visits to St Kitts and Nevis are trouble-free. The main type of incidents for which British nationals required consular assistance in St Kitts and Nevis in 2008 were replacing lost and stolen passports and dealing with hospitalisations. Over the past year, there has been an overall increase in crime in St Kitts, including gun crimes although these tend to occur within the local community.
  
  
• There is a low threat from terrorism. But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks which could be in public areas, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.
  
  
• We recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for the activities you want to undertake. See the General (Insurance) section of this Travel Advice and our Travel Insurance page.

Safety and security

Terrorism

There is a low threat from terrorism. But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks which could be in public areas, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers. For more general information see our Terrorism Abroad page.

Crime

Around 5,000 British nationals visit St Kitts and Nevis each year (Source: Ministry of Tourism) and the vast majority of visits are trouble-free. St Kitts and Nevis is a friendly and welcoming country and overall crime rates are relatively low. Despite the relaxed atmosphere, however, there have been incidents of violent crime including murder. These tend to occur within the local community but can sometimes affect tourists. There have been no recent reports to the High Commission in Barbados or to the Honorary Consul in St Kitts of such incidents affecting British tourists.

You should therefore maintain at least the same level of security awareness as you would in the UK and ensure that your living accommodation is secure. Apply the same measures if you are staying on a yacht. Avoid walking alone in isolated areas, including beaches, after dark. Do not carry large amounts of cash or jewellery. Valuables and travel documents should be left, where possible, in safety deposit boxes and hotel safes.

For more general information see our Victims of Crime Abroad page.

Political Situation

St Kitts and Nevis Country Profile

Local Travel

Road Travel

In order to be able to drive a car in St Kitts and Nevis you must purchase a local driving licence, usually from the car hire company, at a cost of EC$ 100. You must show your current driving licence to obtain this.

Motorists drive on the left in St Kitts and Nevis. Main roads are generally well maintained but many follow winding routes so careful driving is necessary. Roads are not well lit at night. You must be alert for stray livestock and speed bumps in some areas that are not well marked. Hiring of scooters is popular amongst visitors but safety equipment is not included in the hire price: despite the additional cost this is highly recommended for your own protection. You should be cautious when driving a scooter, as other road users do not always give them due consideration.

For more general information see our Driving Abroad page.

Air Travel

You will have to pay a departure tax when leaving St Kitts and Nevis. Departure tax is EC$58 (per adult) and EC$25 (child under 12).

Local laws and customs

You should note that there are severe penalties for all drug offences. Pack all luggage yourself and do not carry anything through customs for anyone else.

You should be aware that it is an offence for anyone, including children, to dress in camouflage clothing.

Certain homosexual acts are illegal under the laws of St Kitts and Nevis.

For more general information for different types of travellers see our Your Trip page.

Entry requirements

Visas

British Passport holders do not require visas to visit St Kitts and Nevis. On entry you are granted a one month stay. If you wish to stay longer you must apply and pay for an extension of stay through the St Kitts and Nevis Immigration Department. It is an offence to overstay the entry period granted or to work without a work permit.

Entry requirements may change from time to time and should be checked with the High Commission of St Kitts and Nevis in London.

Passport validity

Your passports should be valid for at least six month on arrival in St Kitts & Nevis.

Health

The medical facilities on the islands are limited to one hospital, which can deal only with routine medical cases. More serious cases will need to be dealt with in Puerto Rico, USA once the patient is in a stable condition.

Dengue fever occurs in Latin America and the Caribbean and can occur throughout the year. It is found throughout St Kitts and Nevis.

You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS. For more general information on how to do this see our HIV and AIDS page.

You should seek medical advice before travelling to St Kitts & Nevis and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up-to-date. For further information on vaccination requirements, health outbreaks and general disease protection and prevention you should visit the websites of the National Travel Heath Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) and NHS Scotland's Fit For Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

For more general health information see our Travel Health and Swine Flu page.

Natural disasters

The hurricane season in St Kitts and Nevis normally runs from June to November. You can also access the World Meteorological Organisation for updates and the US National Hurricane Centre. For more general information see our Tropical cyclones page.

General

Insurance

We recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance, which includes medical evacuation, before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake. Be especially careful about cover for recurring illnesses as they may not be include in all insurance policies. For more general information see our Travel Insurance page.

If things do go wrong when you are oversees see our When Things Go Wrong page.

Registration

Register with our LOCATE service to tell us when and where you are travelling abroad or where you live abroad so our consular and crisis staff can provide better assistance to you in an emergency. More information about registering with LOCATE can be found here.

Package Holidays

If you are on a package holiday, you must travel on the specified return date. If you fail to do so it is likely that you will have to pay for a return ticket yourself.

Passports

Keep a copy of the photo page of your passport and relevant entry stamp in case your documents are stolen.

In the event of loss of your passport, you will need to apply to the Passport Office at the British High Commission, Barbados for a replacement. The British Honorary Consul in St Kitts can advise you how to do this. Urgent applications are sent to Bridgetown by courier, incurring courier costs, but even so the issue of a replacement passport will still take several days.