st. croix or st thomas

Sonji: I am going to start with the question about your citizenship. This is a US possession, so if you are American, no problem, but if you are not, you'll need a green card to work. And what sort of work are you hoping for?

You might explain what you think is country, because none of the Virgins are really "city" places. Ask away...:)

Hi East Ender
I'm a US citizen (born) but my boyfriend is a Jamaican citizen (born), he lived in England for 3yrs steady but not long enough to obtain citizenship. Hes trying for his US visa Feb 2006, if he gets it will he still need a green card? Right now I work at a medical hlth ins co Aetna, I do customer srvc work and pay hosp/med claims (im on the computer all day)...looking for work in hosp, bank, resort...computer/clerical work.....my boyfriend is a cert life guard/nightly entertainment coordinator at Margaritaville. Were looking to find jobs before we get there but do have cash to support ourselves if we don't.

When I said country I sorta meant rural. No bus transportation, the nearst store is miles away, etc.....thanks

I am confused. Is your boyfriend living in the states now? If he needs a visa for up there, he will need one for here, also. You all need to talk to someone from Immigration/Homeland Security, whatever group it is now that provides entrance into the US.

Well, the Virgin Islands are kinda rural. The bus transport is iffy, but there is a nonregulated open air safari system with a limited route. The whole island (St Thomas) is only 13 miles long, but most places you would not walk. City people often find the entertainment limited.

Whatever he needs to work/live in the US, he'll need to live/work here.

Of course we do have illegals living and working here, just like the US.

Dear Sonji: Just a quick addition here - it's highly unlikely that you will be able to find employment before moving here. As has been pointed out many time on this forum, employers rarely, if ever, respond to off-island enquiries regarding employment. Also, where your boyfriend is concerned, getting a green card is an extremely long process and I personally know of a few instances where even the spouse of an American citizen has had to wait up to three years to obtain one. Unless he works in a field in which no American citizen is qualified to fill the position and a prospective employer is willing to fill out reams of paperwork, he won't be able to work here legally.

The penalties for hiring illegals are very stiff. Yes, as Linda said, there ARE illegals working here (mainly Haitians and Dominican Republic nationals) but if they get themselves into any sort of situation which brings them to the attention of the authorities they're liable to deportation and the inability to ever enter the U.S. again.

Hope this helps!

Hi Sonji,
I think there are plans (possibly) in the works for a Margaritaville at Crown Bay on St. Thomas. I am sure if it does happen it will take quite a while. But maybe he could be transferred down from whichever Margaritaville he is currently employed. Ask him to look into it with his company.

I have a car so I would more than likely bring that with. Are most of the apts already furnished or should I look to bring/buy my own?
My boyfriend currently lives in Jamaica and myself in Philadelphia. He did tell me to look into the Britsh Virgin Islands but he'd still need the same things to reside/work there and so would I. We have also been looking into the Cayman Islands, I've submitted resumes there and a Margaritaville is scheduled to open 5/2006 so he could transfer (which is a plus for him). Early next yr I'll travel to St Thomas, carry my resume and ck it out. I see for this type of move we have our work cut out for us.

Thanks for the info!

Hello Sonji,

You can find car information on this site (scroll to the top and click on Home on the left side and then select the shipping car section). Once you review the taxes etc. involved with shipping a car you can decide if its worth it.

As for apartments; I don't know a percentage but some apartments are furnished, some are partially furnished and some are un-furnished - it varies.

--Islander