Passport and visa regulations

Nationalities

	Passport required	visa required	Return ticket required
Turkey	Yes	1	Yes
Other EU countries	Yes	no	Yes
Switzerland	Yes	no	Yes
Austria	Yes	no	Yes
Germany	Yes	no	Yes

Passport information

Generally required, must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the stay.

Visa information

Generally required, with the exception of citizens of the following countries listed in the table above for tourist stays, among others: (a) EU countries and Switzerland for stays of up to 30 days per entry and up to 90 days total stay for visits to multiple Caribbean islands in the Netherlands in a period of 180 days (exception: Dutch people max. 180 consecutive days in a period of 365 days). (b) [1] Turkish citizens with a Schengen visa allowing multiple entries or with a valid residence permit or with a temporary residence permit for a Schengen country, with a visa or residence permit for Great Britain or Ireland.

• Thembaprograms: Offers ultimate guide to duty-free shopping in Saint Maarten. Also includes import and export regulations, as well as embassy and telecommunication information about this country.

Costs

Short-term visa (for a stay of max. 30 days, multiple entries): 35 €.

Visa types and costs

There is a common visa for all parts of the Kingdom of the Netherlands located in the Caribbean (islands of Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten as well as Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba): – Visa for a stay of max. 90 days. (Example of maximum stay: 30 days in Aruba, 21 days in Curaçao, 21 days in Bonaire and 18 days in Sint Maarten.)- Visa for stays longer than 90 days.

Validity

The short-term visa is valid for 6 months and allows multiple entries. The maximum length of stay is 30 days per entry. The maximum total length of stay for island hopping is 90 days.

Transit

Otherwise, travelers who require a visa, who are passengers on cruise ships and civilian ships and who are traveling onward within 48 hours and who have valid documents for onward travel, do not require a transit visa. A visa-free airport transit in St. Maarten is only possible on the same calendar day. If a visa is required, the application should be submitted to the responsible Dutch embassy at least 1 month before departure.

Application required

(i) International medical insurance with coverage of at least US$15,000.(j) Birth certificates for applicants who are minors and both parents’ passports. Unaccompanied minors: Notarized travel authorization from the parents/guardians not traveling with you. (k) Statement of purpose of travel.

Processing time

Short-term visa: Usually 15 calendar days. The application should be submitted at least 4 weeks and at most 3 months before the planned departure.

Proof of sufficient funds

Tourists may be required to show proof of sufficient funds for the duration of their stay upon arrival (US$150-200 per day depending on the type of accommodation (private or hotel)).

Extension of stay

Inquiries to the Office of the Lieutenant Governor of the Island Territory of St. Maarten, Pondfill, Philipsburg. Dutch citizens from Europe are allowed to settle in St. Maarten without a special residence permit.

Entry with children

German: Machine-readable children’s passport or your own passport. Austrians: Own passport. Swiss: Own passport. Turks: Own passport. Note: The same visa requirements apply to children as to their parents. Note: Minors must be accompanied by an adult or met upon arrival by an adult resident of St. Maarten. Unaccompanied minors require a notarized travel permit from the parents not traveling with them. Since June 27, 2012, children need their own travel document (passport / children’s passport) for trips abroad (also within the EU).

Entry with pets

All pets (dogs, cats, parrots and parakeets) require a health certificate certifying that the animal is healthy and issued a maximum of 14 days prior to arrival. Cats and dogs also require a rabies vaccination certificate. The vaccination should have taken place at least 30 days before arrival. The animals must be identified by a microchip.