Officially the Virgin Islands of the United States, the USVI are a group of islands in the Caribbean that are classified as an organized, unincorporated U.S. territory. The islands are located in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles of the Virgin Islands archipelago, and the USVI consists of the main islands of Saint Thomas, Saint Croix, and Saint John. Tourism and rum manufacturing are the primary economic activities here, and the territory has a population of approximately 106,00 residents. While U.S. citizens, those who reside here cannot vote in U.S. elections as the USVI is not a state. The USVI does make provisions for the sharing of its records with the public.
Laws covering the sharing of public records in the U.S. Virgin Islands are covered under Title 3 of the Virgin Island Code (V.I.C.) § 881. The law states that “every citizen of the territory” has a right to examine and copy all public records. The purpose of the request does not need to be disclosed, and there are no limitations placed on the use of the records once obtained.
Public records covered under the Code include those of all public agencies in the territory, including the executive and legislative branches. The courts are not covered by this Code. Records that are not included, or are exempt, are:
Records that are not included, or are exempt, are:
Background checks are administered by the USVI Police Department Records Bureau. A police record check can be requested by filling out the proper form. This is a name-based search and does not require the signed consent of the person being searched.
The USVI Police Department runs corrections in the territory, and there are two Detention Facilities – one St. Thomas that is classified as medium security and one on St. Croix. There is not a way to do an online search for offenders in the system, but you can call (340) 778-2211 for information.
There are two separate court websites in the USVI, one for the District Court and another for the Superior Court. Most individuals will be interested in superior court cases as these are the civil, criminal, family, probate, small claims, and traffic cases. There are not really any online court records searches available, but you can turn in a Request for Records Search with the Acting Clerk of the Court for any desired court records.
Obtaining vital records in the U.S. Virgin Islands is going to depend on the type of record that you need and the particular island where the event took place. In all instances, you must prove eligibility to obtain the record, such as being a party listed on the certificate, a parent or legal guardian, or other legal representative.