A visa is an authorization or decision to temporarily enter a country. Someone who is granted a visa receives a sticker in his or her passport or other valid travel document.
Once the person receives the visa, there is no objection to the person's entry into the country of destination. A visa may sometimes also be required for transit to a third country. It is important to note that a visa does not always guarantee entry to a country. Even when a person enters a country, he or she must visibly comply with the entry requirements.
It is possible to apply for a Caribbean or Schengen visa at the Cabinet of the Governor of Sint Maarten.
Persons without the Dutch nationality who wish to stay in the Caribbean Netherlands (Bonaire, Saba, Sint Eustatius) for longer than 90 days, must apply for an MVV. The applicant can submit the request themselves to the Immigration and Naturalization Service Caribbean Netherlands (IND-CN). A reference can also do this on behalf of the applicant. For more information, please visit this website.
If the MVV application has been approved and the applicant has received the decision, the Cabinet of the Governor of Sint Maarten may issue a visa for Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius. The MVV serves as an entry visa for work, study, or family reunification.
The applicant must contact the department of Consular Affairs within two weeks of the date of the decision by the IND-CN.
Visa 90 days or less
If someone travels to the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom (Sint Maarten, Aruba, Curaçao, Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius) for 90 days or less, a short-stay Caribbean visa is required in principle. The Cabinet of the Governor of Sint Maarten does not issue short-stay Caribbean visas. Persons arriving from visa-required countries must apply at a Dutch embassy or consulate in their country of origin. Persons with a Caribbean visa may stay on the mentioned islands for a maximum of 90 days (within a period of 180 days). Would you like to know if you need a Caribbean visa? Please visit this webpage for more information.
For whom is it not necessary?
A Caribbean visa is not required for persons with a nationality appearing on this list of visa-free nationalities.
Persons making a transfer do not need to apply for a Caribbean visa either.
However, when traveling to Caribbean parts of the Kingdom, they must still comply with the entry requirements for visa-free travel.
Stay of more than 90 days
Anyone wishing to stay in Sint Maarten for longer than 90 days, needs a residence permit. For the application procedure, one can contact the Immigration and Border Protection Services of Sint Maarten.
In some cases, persons who do not have the Dutch nationality must apply for a visa to enter Schengen countries, including the Netherlands. This is called a Schengen visa. The traveler does not necessarily need to have the Netherlands as their primary destination. You can apply for a Schengen visa for the following countries at the Cabinet of the Governor of Sint Maarten: the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and Switzerland.
The Cabinet of the Governor of Sint Maarten only processes visa applications for the Schengen area from persons whose residence permit is valid for at least three months after their return to Sint Maarten. You can apply for a Schengen visa 3 to 6 months before your trip.
Visa 90 days or less
Persons with a short-stay Schengen visa can travel freely in the Netherlands and to other Schengen countries for up to 90 days (within a period of 180 days).
For whom is it not necessary?
The Schengen countries have made agreements with certain countries. You may not need a visa.
You can check that on this page.
Stay of more than 90 days
Persons wishing to stay in the Netherlands for longer than 90 days may require a long-stay visa. For example, to stay longer for work, study, or to live with family in the Netherlands. In some cases, a residence permit is also required. A long-stay visa is also known as an Authorization for Temporary Residence (MVV). Whether someone needs an MVV and/or a residence permit depends partly on their nationality and purpose of stay. More information about the MVV can be obtained from the department of Consular Affairs. The Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND) can provide information regarding the residence permit in the Netherlands.
Persons wishing to travel from a Schengen country to a non-Schengen country may sometimes be required to have a so-called transit visa. This applies to travel via the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and Switzerland. A transit visa only allows a person to transfer to another flight to a destination outside the Schengen area. They are not permitted to leave the international zone of the airport, not even to collect luggage. Consequently, these individuals do not have access to the Schengen area. If necessary, an application for a transit visa can be submitted at our department of Consular Affairs.
Whether or not you require a visa, varies case-by-case and depends on your situation. The same applies to the required documents for processing the visa application. It is advisable to contact the department of Consular Affairs in advance. If it turns out that you do indeed require a visa, you must schedule an appointment at the Cabinet of the Governor to submit the application.
After the appointment has been scheduled, you can visit this website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to complete the online visa application form in advance. This process consists of four steps:
- Create an account by selecting the desired language at the top right of the website and click on ‘create an account’.
- Verify your account by confirming your email and phone number.
- Fill out the online application form.
- Print out the completed form, including the barcode, and bring it to the appointment.
Please note: During vacation periods and around the holidays, the application and processing time may take longer.
| Product | Costs |
|---|---|
|
Caribbean visa (children up to 6 years old) |
free |
|
Caribbean visa (children aged 6 to 11) |
Cg 80,- |
|
Caribbean visa (standard rate) |
Cg 160,- |
|
Schengen visa (children up to 6 years old) |
free |
|
Schengen visa (children aged 6 to 11) |
Cg 90,- |
|
Schengen visa (standard rate) |
Cg 180,- |
* The fees for visa are indexed annually.
Customers can pay in cash or by debit card in Caribbean Guilders (XCG) at the Cabinet of the Governor of Sint Maarten. Payment by credit card or cash in US dollars (USD) is not accepted.
Appointment
The contact details for scheduling an appointment can be found on our contact page.