Key takeaways
- Start 90 days out: documents and certification first, then housing, shipping and pets.
- Hand-carry originals of your transcripts, certificates, ID and offer letter — never pack them in a shipped box.
- Decide early whether to ship, sell or buy a car; remember traffic keeps left.
- Plan your first 30 days: temporary housing, utilities, local bank, driver's license and hurricane kit.
You have the offer letter — congratulations! Now comes the part nobody trains you for in teacher prep: moving your life to an island more than a thousand miles from the mainland. It is an adventure, but it goes much more smoothly with a plan. This checklist is built from the questions educators ask us most, organized as a 90-day countdown. Tick items off as you go, or use the quick interactive version on our Resources page.
Requirements for pets, vehicles and licenses are set by official agencies and airlines, and they change. Treat this list as a planning tool and confirm details with the relevant authority before you travel.
90–60 days before: paperwork and big decisions
Employment and certification
- Get your offer, start date, salary placement and school assignment in writing.
- Confirm the status of your certification file with the Board of Education — see our certification guide.
- Ask HR for onboarding paperwork: background check, health statement, direct-deposit forms, benefits enrollment.
- Ask whether any relocation assistance, temporary housing contacts or new-teacher orientation is offered.
Documents to gather (and scan)
- Passport or birth certificate plus government photo ID.
- Social Security card (keep it safe — carry, don't ship).
- Diplomas, official transcripts, teaching licenses and Praxis score reports.
- Marriage certificate, children's birth certificates and school records if your family is moving.
- Vehicle title and registration if you plan to ship a car.
- Medical and vaccination records; prescriptions; eyeglass prescription.
- Pet vaccination and medical records.
Scan everything into an encrypted cloud folder and keep a paper set in a waterproof pouch in your carry-on. The same pouch becomes part of your hurricane kit later.
Decide: ship, sell or buy your car
Shipping a car involves freight from a mainland port (usually in Florida), port fees on arrival, and then local inspection and registration with the VI Bureau of Motor Vehicles. It can make sense for a newer, reliable vehicle with good ground clearance. For an older car or a low-slung sedan, selling at home and buying a used island car is often cheaper and simpler.
Whatever you choose, practise the mental shift: in the Virgin Islands you drive on the left, usually in left-hand-drive cars. Roads are narrow, steep and winding, and a toot of the horn around blind bends is normal courtesy.
60–30 days before: housing, shipping and pets
Housing
- Book 2–4 weeks of temporary accommodation near your school.
- Join local community and housing groups and ask colleagues for landlord recommendations.
- Prepare deposits: many landlords ask for first month plus one or two months' security.
- Use our cost-of-living guide questions (cistern, generator, power bills, access road) for every viewing.
What to ship — and what to leave
Shipping household goods is priced by volume and weight, so be ruthless. Teachers who have made the move recommend:
| Bring or ship | Leave or sell |
|---|---|
| Favourite teaching materials and books (digitize what you can) | Winter coats, boots and heavy bedding |
| A good laptop, surge protector and power bank | Bulky furniture (buy locally or rent furnished) |
| Quality sheets, towels and a few kitchen essentials | Large appliances (voltage is the same, but freight is costly) |
| Rain gear, water shoes, snorkel set, sun protection | Anything that rusts easily in salt air |
| Dehumidifier bags and airtight storage boxes | Items you haven't used in a year |
The U.S. Postal Service delivers to the Virgin Islands at domestic rates, which makes flat-rate boxes a handy way to send books and small items ahead of you. Delivery can be slower than on the mainland, and many residents use a post office box.
Pets
Many teachers move with dogs and cats. Plan early:
- Check the current USVI animal import requirements (typically a recent veterinary health certificate and rabies vaccination records).
- Check your airline's rules — some restrict pets in the hold during hot months or limit in-cabin space.
- Book pet travel at the same time as your own ticket.
- Find a veterinarian on your island and ask about tick and heartworm prevention in the tropics.
30–7 days before: money, health and logistics
- Banking. Keep your mainland bank account open (with online access) and plan to open a local account after arrival for rent and bills.
- Mail. Set up mail forwarding and update your address with banks, insurers and professional bodies.
- Prescriptions. Refill 60–90 days of medication and ask your doctor for written prescriptions.
- Insurance. Line up renter's insurance and check whether it covers windstorm and flood.
- Phone. Major U.S. mobile carriers operate in the USVI; check that your plan treats it as domestic.
- Taxes. Note your move date — it matters for your first-year tax filing with the VI Bureau of Internal Revenue.
- Emergency contacts. Share your new address, school contact and a check-in plan with family.
Travel day
Flights from the mainland land at Cyril E. King Airport on St. Thomas or Henry E. Rohlsen Airport on St. Croix. Arriving from the mainland is a domestic flight — no customs on arrival. When you fly back to the mainland you clear U.S. Customs and Border Protection before departure, and a passport or other proof of citizenship makes that faster.
Carry-on essentials: document pouch, laptop and chargers, medication, a change of clothes, swimsuit (you will want it), reusable water bottle and any teaching materials you need for orientation week.
Your first 30 days on island
Week 1: land softly
- Check into temporary housing and rest. The heat and humidity take a few days to get used to.
- Drive (carefully, on the left) the route to your school at the time you will actually commute.
- Find your nearest supermarket, pharmacy, gas station and hardware store.
- Report to HR and orientation as scheduled.
Week 2: set up the basics
- View long-term rentals in person; sign a lease once you are confident.
- Open a local bank account and set up electricity and water with WAPA if not included.
- Arrange internet installation — book early, as appointments can take time.
Weeks 3–4: become a resident
- Check how long your mainland driver's license remains valid for a new resident, and apply for a Virgin Islands license with the BMV.
- Register a shipped vehicle or buy a local car.
- Build your hurricane kit — see our preparedness guide — and sign up for local emergency alerts from VITEMA.
- Ask about enrolling in the required Virgin Islands history course.
- Say yes to invitations: church fish fry, a colleague's family lunch, a beach clean-up, a Carnival rehearsal. Community is how islands work.
Culture shock is normal
Around week three or four, many newcomers hit a slump. The novelty fades, the power goes out during a storm, a delivery is delayed again, and your classroom is short on supplies. This is normal and it passes. Teachers who stay and thrive usually do three things: they build friendships beyond other newcomers, they learn the history and rhythms of the place, and they keep a sense of humor about “island time”.
Our guide to culturally responsive teaching has practical ideas for building relationships with students and families from the very first week.
Want help with the move?
Our Relocation & Island Onboarding package turns this checklist into a personal plan, with a budget for your island, neighborhood briefings and a first-30-days schedule. Or start free with the interactive quick checklist.
Sources: VI Bureau of Motor Vehicles; Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority; VITEMA; U.S. Customs and Border Protection traveler information. Last reviewed September 2026.
Frequently asked questions
U.S. citizens do not need a passport to travel from the mainland, but you will need proof of citizenship for employment. A passport speeds up U.S. customs when you fly back to the mainland.
It depends on the car. Newer vehicles with good clearance may be worth shipping; older cars often are not once freight, port fees and registration are added. Many newcomers buy a used car on island.
Yes, with planning. Expect to need a recent veterinary health certificate and vaccination records, and check your airline's pet policy carefully, especially in hot months.
If possible, arrive two to three weeks before orientation to find housing, set up utilities and get used to the climate and roads.
