Travel Information - Romantic Escapes in the Caribbean: Lovetripper Guide - page 38

Caribbean Embassies & Consulates
Run into problems on your trip? You will find consulates and
embassies on some of the larger islands. These offices can assist
you with lost or stolen passports, emergencies, etc.
If you are involved in an emergency situation, go to the nearest
US embassy or consular office and register as an American citi-
zen in the region. Bring along your passport and a location
where you can be reached. Offices are listed in the Appendix,
page 385.
The consular office can also be contacted for a list of local doc-
tors, dentists, and medical specialists. If you are injured or be-
come seriously ill, a consul will help you find medical assistance
and, at your request, inform your family or friends. The State
Department cannot assist you in funding an emergency trip
back to the States - that's what travel insurance is all about.
Travel insurance can cover the cost of a trip that you have to
cancel, trip delay expenses. and medical expenses that your
regular insurance policy might not handle. You can purchase
travel insurance through your travel agent or call an insurance
agency directly. (Don't buy insurance through a tour operator; if
the business should close, your insurance policy will probably
be terminated along with it.)
Customs
When you leave the US and when you return home, you will
pass through US Customs at your point of US entry. (A few is-
lands have Customs Pre-Clearance so you can go through the
declaration before returning home, usually a faster process.)
You'll complete a customs declaration form, one per household,
identifying the total amount of your expenditures while out of
the country. Each person has an exemption of either $400, $600
or $1,200 (depending on the island you visited). Families can
pool their exemptions, so a family of four can bring back $1,600,
$2,400, or $4,800 worth of merchandise without paying duty.