Before a storm approaches or any other emergency, it’s important to make sure all essential travel documents are up-to-date, secure and easy to access.
Cayman’s Passport and Corporate Services Office advise residents to keep passports and other vital documents – such as birth, marriage and naturalisation certificates, as well as Caymanian status and permanent residence documents – together in a waterproof bag or container. These should be stored securely but remain easily accessible during emergencies.
Readiness checklist:
- Check that passports and other travel documents are valid.
- Make copies of key documents, including passports, birth and marriage certificates, naturalisation or registration certificates.
- Store original documents and the copies in secure but separate locations.
If applying for a United Kingdom passport, submit only copies of the valid British Overseas Territories Citizen (BOTC) Cayman Islands passport. Do not send original passports during hurricane season.
Travelling to the United States
For those travelling to the United States, the passport office notes the following:
- Holders of BOTC/Cayman Islands passports or UK passports with a valid US visitor’s visa may travel on commercial, charter or air ambulance flights.
- Holders of BOTC/ Cayman Islands passports without a US visitor’s visa must obtain a US visa waiver from the Passport and Corporate Services Office before travelling on commercial or air ambulance flights.
- BOTC passport holders should ensure their passports are valid for at least six months beyond their intended date of departure from the US.
- Holders of UK passports without a US visitor’s visa, but with an approved Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), may travel to the US on commercial or air ambulance flights.
New US travel rules:
- Mandatory biometrics: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) requires all non-US citizens to be photographed upon both arrival and departure. Previous exemptions for children under 14 and seniors over 79 have been removed. In addition, digital fingerprints may be required for some travellers.
- 30-day registration rule: Visitors staying more than 30 days must register with U.S. Customs and Border Protection. This is typically managed via an I-94 record, available on the CBP website: cbp.gov.
- Proposed enhanced surveillance for ESTA: Proposed changes for visitors from visa-exempt countries using the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) include moving to a mobile-only application process and requiring significantly more personal information, such as multiyear social media information and family member details. These changes remain under review, so travellers should monitor official updates from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Homeland Security before travel.
Office closures during emergencies
Residents should also remember that travel documents cannot be issued when weather conditions or other emergencies require the closure of government offices, including the Passport and Corporate Services Office.
Passport and Corporate Services Office
128 Elgin Avenue, George Town
Monday to Friday 9am-3pm
T: 943-7678 or 649-7678
E: passport&[email protected]
W: gov.ky/web/pocs/passportand-corporate-services
This article originally appeared in Compass Media’s 2026 Emergency Guide.
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