As the restart of the tourist season approaches, the delegated prefect of the Northern Islands, Vincent Berton, reminds hoteliers, accommodation providers and other tourism stakeholders of the main rules applicable to foreign tourists regarding entry and stay in Saint-Barthélemy and Saint-Martin (French part).
1) Some tourists are exempt from visas due to their nationality and other criteria such as the length of their stay. The official France Visas website offers the tool “Do I need a visa?” » which allows everyone to check if they need to apply for a visa before entering Saint-Barthélemy or Saint-Martin: https://france-visas.gouv.fr/en/web/france-visas/visa- wizard#/
In addition, the regulations on visa exemptions can be found in the ministerial decree of April 18, 2012 which sets the specific conditions of entry and stay in Saint-Barthélemy and Saint-Martin: https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/loda/id/JORFTEXT000025746952/
2) When a visa is required, the visa application process must be carried out online, on the official France Visas website: https://www.france-visas.gouv.fr/
The request must be made before leaving. No tourist visa will be issued on site (neither at the border nor at the prefecture). It is therefore recommended to invite foreign clients to complete their procedures sufficiently in advance of their departure, as the issuance of a visa can sometimes take several weeks.
3) “Schengen” short-stay visas, issued by others States other than France, are not valid in Saint-Barthélemy and Saint-Martin, because the two islands are not part of the Schengen area.
The only short-stay visas accepted are national visas bearing one of the following: “France except CTOM”; “French departments of America”; “Collectivity of Saint-Barthélemy” or “Collectivity of Saint-Martin”.
4) Customers entering Saint Martin through Juliana Airport must also comply with the rules for entry into the Dutch part of Sint Maarten. These rules are recalled on the website of the government of the Netherlands: https://www.netherlandsworldwide.nl/caribbean-visa/visa-needed-caribbean and on the website of the Ministry of Justice of Sint Maarten: http://www.ministryofjusticesx.com/department/immigration/
In order to offer the best welcome to visitors and to avoid any disappointment when leaving, the prefect recommends that hoteliers and accommodation providers check the entry conditions for foreign customers when booking and inform them as much as possible. as far in advance as possible of the steps they must take.
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