Like mainland Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands that belonged to Spain were ceded to the United States in 1898. The United States took possession of the islands after the signing of the armistice that put an end to military operations in the Spanish–American War.

The Virgin Islands are an archipelago split primarily between the United Kingdom and the United States. The British Virgin Islands (BVI) is a British Overseas Territory, meaning it is under the ultimate sovereignty of the British Crown, though it is self-governing with its own Premier and local government. The United States Virgin Islands (USVI), comprising St. Thomas, St. Croix, and St. John, is an unincorporated, organized territory of the United States; residents are U.S. citizens, though they do not have a vote in presidential elections. There is also a third, less commonly discussed group known as the Spanish Virgin Islands (including Culebra and Vieques), which are part of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and thus also under U.S. sovereignty. In 2026, these territories maintain distinct legal and customs systems; for example, while they are neighbors, traveling between the USVI and BVI requires a passport and passage through international customs, reflecting their different national owners.