Your first 90 days in Anguilla: the arrival checklist
The visa got you in — this is what turns you into a functioning resident: the registration clock, the ID number everything else depends on, and the money, healthcare, and license steps in the order they actually unlock. Each step links the official source so you can verify the current rule.
Checked against official sources · September 2026 · how we verify
The catch that burns new arrivals
Medical evacuation is the real financial exposure — a single air ambulance off-island runs into tens of thousands of dollars, and standard travel policies cap far below that. Verify the evacuation limit and the receiving hospital network in writing before you rely on a policy.
The checklist, in the order it unlocks
Report to the Immigration Department in The Valley to have your permitted stay endorsed and to lodge the residence or work permit file
Before the entry stamp expires — visitors are typically admitted for up to 3 months and any longer stay needs an extension or permit
Anguilla is a British Overseas Territory with its own immigration law, not the UK's — a UK visa or status gives you nothing here. Everything runs through a small department in person, so allow for island pace and limited office days.
Get your Social Security number (Anguilla Social Security Board)
There is no personal income tax in Anguilla, so the number you actually need is the social-security registration used for employment and, in practice, as ID for banking.
Registered with the Social Security Board once you have a work permit or start employment; there is no income-tax registration to do because the tax does not exist.
Open a bank account
The National Commercial Bank of Anguilla and CIBC Caribbean serve the island; onboarding is document-heavy — reference letters, source of funds, proof of address — and the 2016 banking resolution left residents cautious about concentration. US persons are screened hard under FATCA, and keeping a mainland account plus a multi-currency card is the norm rather than the exception.
Enrol in healthcare
There is no comprehensive public health service. The Princess Alexandra Hospital handles primary and emergency care, and anything serious is a medical evacuation to Puerto Rico, Miami or St Maarten. International health insurance with explicit evacuation cover is not optional here — it is the plan.
Sort your driver's license
Visitors and new arrivals buy a temporary Anguillian licence on presentation of a valid foreign licence — it is issued over the counter for a fee and is the normal way to drive. Residents convert to a full local licence through the Driver and Vehicle Licensing unit. Traffic drives on the left.
Deadlines and requirements vary by nationality, visa type, and region, and they change — this is information current as of 2026, not legal or immigration advice. Verify each step with the official source before you rely on it.
Moving to Anguilla?
Add your email for new Anguilla guides and a heads-up when the arrival rules or figures change. We never file anything ourselves.
Information only, not legal advice — we never file anything with any government. Requirements change; verify with the official source or a licensed immigration advisor before you apply.
First 90 days in Anguilla: FAQ
What do I have to do first after arriving in Anguilla?
Report to the Immigration Department in The Valley to have your permitted stay endorsed and to lodge the residence or work permit file — Before the entry stamp expires — visitors are typically admitted for up to 3 months and any longer stay needs an extension or permit. Anguilla is a British Overseas Territory with its own immigration law, not the UK's — a UK visa or status gives you nothing here. Everything runs through a small department in person, so allow for island pace and limited office days. Verify the current rule with the official source before you rely on it.
What is the Social Security number and do I need one?
Social Security number (Anguilla Social Security Board) is Anguilla's personal tax/ID number. There is no personal income tax in Anguilla, so the number you actually need is the social-security registration used for employment and, in practice, as ID for banking. Registered with the Social Security Board once you have a work permit or start employment; there is no income-tax registration to do because the tax does not exist.
Can I drive in Anguilla on a US license?
Visitors and new arrivals buy a temporary Anguillian licence on presentation of a valid foreign licence — it is issued over the counter for a fee and is the normal way to drive. Residents convert to a full local licence through the Driver and Vehicle Licensing unit. Traffic drives on the left. Rules differ by nationality and change — check the official source before the window closes.
How do I get healthcare after moving to Anguilla?
There is no comprehensive public health service. The Princess Alexandra Hospital handles primary and emergency care, and anything serious is a medical evacuation to Puerto Rico, Miami or St Maarten. International health insurance with explicit evacuation cover is not optional here — it is the plan. See our healthcare-systems guide for how Anguilla's system treats foreign residents.