ENTRY REQUIREMENTS:
US, British and Canadian citizens, and citizens of British Dependent Territories do not
require passports, but must present proof of citizenship (passport or birth certificate
and current photo ID. A driver's license or voter's registration card alone is not
sufficient) and a return or ongoing airline ticket. **Please note that according to a new
US law passed in 1996, a Voter's Registration Card is no longer considered valid proof of
US citizenship and is therefore not valid ID for re-entry into the US. Visitors from all
other countries require a passport and return or ongoing ticket. Entry is granted for up
to six months. Resident aliens of the US who show a valid US Alien Registration Card
(green card) may be permitted to enter and remain in the Cayman Islands for up to 30 days.
Visitors must keep the pink Immigration slip given to them upon arrival. This is our
equivalent of a tourist identification card, with their travel documents and present it
when departing. Anyone who wishes to extend their stay after arrival must visit the
Department of Immigration and obtain and extension and may be asked to show proof of
financial resources to permit an extension.
There is a US$10 departure tax payable when you check in for your departing flight.
CUSTOMS INFORMATION FOR VISITORS:
ARRIVING: In addition to personal effects for use while on vacation, visitors 18 years and
over are allowed to bring in duty-free either one litre of alcohol, four litres of wine or
one case of beer (not exceeding eight litres) and 200 cigarettes, or 50 cigars or 250
grams of tobacco. They should not be confused by the Customs forms which states that
returning residents are allowed CI$300 worth of goods duty free. This privilege does not
apply to visitors. Books and camera equipment are always allowed as duty free items.
DON'T ATTEMPT TO BRING IN:
The importation or possession of any kind of illegal drugs including marijuana is
strictly prohibited by law and violators face arrest and prosecution by local authorities.
Also prohibited are:
Firearms of any kind, Spearguns (or pole spears or Hawaiian slings), Live plants and raw
fruits and vegetables are also restricted because they may carry diseases or shelter
invasive insects.
Specific questions should be directed to the Collector of Customs, (345) 949-2473.
WHEN YOU LEAVE CAYMAN:
Visitors from the US should be aware that products made from farmed green sea turtles
available in limited selections at the Cayman Turtle Farm Ltd. However, importation of
genuine sea turtle products is strictly prohibited by US Customs under the CITES treaty of
1978.
CLIMATE:
The Cayman Islands enjoy "perpetual summer," lying between the latitudes 19 and
20 North, in the heart of the Caribbean tempered by cooling trade winds.
Temperatures are coolest during February, ranging from 64 to 72 at night and 72 to 86
degrees F during the day. Temperatures reach highs of 85-90 F during the summer months of
July and August. Relative humidity varies from 68% to 92%.
The water temperature ranges between 78 and 82 degrees in the winter months and from 82 -
86 degrees in the summer.
Predictably, the rainy season starts in May and lasts through October, with May and
October usually the rainiest months. March and April are usually the driest months of the
year. Average annual rainfall is estimated at 46 inches.
You can call the Cayman Islands National Meteorological Service in George Town, Grand
Cayman for a current weather report at (345) 945-5773 or look at our web site Weather
Page.
LANGUAGE:
English is the official language, with a distinctive "brogue" reflecting
heritage of Welsh, Scottish and English ancestors still distinguishing the speech of the
Caymanian people. The number of Jamaican residents in the work force means the Jamaican
patois and accompanying heavier accent is also common.
DRESS:
Neat, casual and comfortable tropical attire are appropriate throughout the Cayman
Islands. Visitors will want to bring smart casual tropical resort wear for evenings out at
our restaurants. When attending church services, "Sunday dress" is appropriate--
shorts and T-shirts are not considered acceptable, especially for ladies. Visitors should
remember that the Cayman Islands remains a "proper" British Crown Colony and
they should not wear bathing suits or beach wear beyond the beach or cruise ship--and
should cover up when in public areas elsewhere.
There are no nude beaches in the Cayman Islands. Public nudity and topless bathing are
strictly prohibited by law.
TAXES AND SERVICE CHARGES:
The airport departure tax is CI $8.00 or US$10.00 per person. Additional taxes on all
accommodations include Government room tax of 10% and usually an automatic gratuity of 10%
of the room rate. Restaurants often automatically add a 15% gratuity to their bill on food
and beverage: visitors should check before adding gratuities.
TRANSPORTATION:
TAXIS are available at Owen Roberts International Airport on Grand Cayman and offer a
fixed rate per vehicle or per person to all points on Grand Cayman. This information is
available from the taxi dispatcher at the curb. Hotels vans cannot provide courtesy
arrival pickup at the airport.
Taxis are readily available from all resorts and from the taxi stand at the cruise ship
dock in George Town. A sign with current rates is posted at the dock.
In addition, small "buses" which are actually privately owned and operated 9- 20
passenger mini-buses and vans, offer passenger service along main roads in and out of
George Town. There are small bus stop shelters located at main stops along the road, but
buses will pick up passengers almost anywhere along those routes if hailed and they have
space.
Taxis are readily available and local mini-buses run along main routes in Grand Cayman.
MOPEDS AND SCOOTERS are also available on Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac. Riders are
required by law to wear a helmet at all times. and urged to be extremely careful and
remember to stay on the left. Average daily rate is US$25 which includes helmet and
permit.
Rental bicycles (including 10-speeds and mountain bikes on Grand Cayman) are available on
all three islands. On Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, most hotels have bicycles available
for complimentary guest use.
TIME:
The Cayman Islands remains on Eastern Standard Time year-round and does not change to
Daylight Savings Time in April.
FOOD AND DRINKING WATER:
Visitors will be surprised by the variety of well-stocked modern supermarkets on Grand
Cayman and smaller stores on Cayman Brac. You will find everything from the latest
American grocery brands to fresh diary products, meats and gourmet items including whole
bean coffees from a range of countries.
All resorts in the Cayman Islands have adequate supplies of potable drinking water and
fresh water for showers supplied by reverse-osmosis desalination plants. However, bottled
water is readily available at stores on all three islands for visitors who desire it.
CURRENCY AND BANKS:
The Cayman Islands has its own currency, first issued in 1972, whose basic unit is the
dollar, issued in notes with denominations of CI$100, 50, 25, 10, 5 and 1 and coins valued
at 25 cents, 10, 5 and 1 cent. The CI dollar has a fixed exchange rate with the US dollar
of CI$1.00 equals US$1.25. Or, the US dollar equals CI $.80.
There is no need for visitors to exchange their US dollars into local currency. The US
dollar is accepted throughout the islands at a rate of CI 80 cents. However, this can be
confusing to visitors: for example, a US$20 note becomes CI$16. Banks to NOT give a better
rate of exchange! Major credit cards (with the exception of the Discover Card) and
travelers checks are widely accepted. Canadian dollars and pounds sterling can be
exchanged for CI dollars at local banks.
In addition several Automatic Teller Machines accepting VISA and Mastercard with Cirrus
affiliation are located at Cayman National Bank and other banks and at Owen Roberts
International Airport.
Although Grand Cayman now has 567 licensed banks, only a handful are full-service of
"A-class" banks providing regular customer service as visitors know it. These
include Barclays Bank; Scotiabank; Bank of Butterfield; Royal Bank of Canada; Cayman
National Bank; First Cayman Bank; Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce and British American
Bank. Normal banking hours are 9 :00 a.m. until 3 p.m. or 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
MEDICAL SERVICES:
The Cayman Islands has a variety of modern medical facilities on Grand Cayman and Cayman
Brac, includin government-operated hospitals on both islands.
The George Town Hospital on Grand Cayman has 60-beds and will be undergoing a $22 million
expansion and renovation during the next two years. The facilities including an emergency
room and ambulance paramedic service, available 24 hours on Grand Cayman reached through a
local emergency number, 911 or 555. Also available are physiotherapy, radiology and
laboratory services; a dental clinic and eye clinic, and pharmacy. The hospital is
affiliated with Baptist Hospital of Miami for patient referrals involving advanced care or
treatment.
Also located at the hospital is two-man, double-lock recompression chamber staffed by
trained operators supervised by a physician experienced in hyperbaric medicine on call 24
hours for treatment of diving-related accidents.
Medivac services can be arranged quickly through Island Air at Owen Roberts International
Airport , using a Lear jet B-20, whenever necessary to US facilities.
There are two private medical centers on Grand Cayman, Professional Medical Centre
(345-949-6066) and Cayman Medical and Surgical Centre (345-949-8150), which also has a 24
physician referral hotline for medical advice. Each center is staffed by resident medical
practitioners an offering regular visits by a variety of medical specialists. In addition,
there are a number of doctors representing a variety of specialties practicing in the
Cayman Islands, most of them on Grand Cayman. They are listed in the local telephone
directory.
In addition to pharmacies at the Hospital and independent medical centers, there are
four-full service pharmacies on Grand Cayman, open Mon. - Sat. Island Pharmacy in
Westshore Centre and Health Care Pharmacy in PhotoPharm Plaza on Walkers Rd. are also open
from noon until 6 p.m. on Sunday.
There is a new private dental clinic, Cayman Dental Services, in George Town, with two
resident dental surgeon/ specialists on call 24 hours. (345-945-4447.) There are other
private dental practices available, including Dr. Robert Parr at Cayman Medical &
Surgical Centre above.
The Faith Hospital in Stake Bay on Cayman Brac has 16 beds and offers emergency room
facilities.
A new 911 Emergency service is now being finalized throughout Grand Cayman.
GETTING MARRIED IN THE CAYMAN ISLANDS:
Visitors wishing to be married in the Cayman Islands no longer have to fulfill any waiting
(residency) period. An amendment to the Cayman Islands Marriage Law passed in November
1994 eliminated the previous 72 hour waiting period. This means that visitors can now get
married on the day they arrive, including passengers arriving on cruise ships, who may be
legally married during their day in port in Grand Cayman.
Visitors are advised to make arrangements in advance to expedite paperwork and all
required details.
A special license will be granted by the Governor for non-resident couples. The
application for this license can be obtained from the Chief Secretary's Office, 4th Floor,
(Room 406) Government Administration Building, George Town, PH: (345) 949-7900. The fee
for this license is CI $150 plus a CI$10 stamp duty (US$200 total)
It is now possible to obtain the special license the same day.
The couple must arrange for a Cayman Islands Marriage Officer before applying for the
license. A list of officers is available from the Chief Secretary's office and could be
sent in advance of arrival.
Other requirements include proper documentation proving citizenship and age (passport or
birth certificate) and marital status (proof of legal divorce decree or death certificate
if spouse has died, if applicable); Immigration pink slip showing legal entry into the
Cayman Islands or documentation proving visitors is a passenger on a cruise ship. The
minimum legal age for getting married without parental consent is 18.
A brochure "Getting Married in the Cayman Islands" containing complete
guidelines and information is available from Government Information Services, Broadcasting
House, Grand Cayman. PH: (345) 949-8092; FAX: (345) 949-5936
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