Do you have any further questions about the services of the department of Consular Affairs? Please view the most frequently asked questions by category below.
Dutch Nationality
If you have not acquired the Dutch nationality automatically by descent, there are two ways to become a Dutch national: by submitting a declaration of option or by submitting an application for naturalization under the Dutch Nationality Act (Rijkswet op het Nederlanderschap). Your personal background and circumstances determine which procedure applies to you. By completing our online questionnaire on this (Dutch Nationality) page, you can see if you are eligible and which procedure applies to your situation.
| Option | Naturalization | |
|---|---|---|
| Naturalization exam | No civic integration requirement (no naturalization exam applicable). | The civic integration requirement applies (unless you qualify for an exemption or full waiver). |
| Decision-making authority | The Governor decides on the application based on the guidelines of the Dutch Nationality Act. | The King decides on the naturalization request by Royal Decree. This decision is based on the recommendation of the Minister of Justice and Security. |
| Processing time | The processing time for the option procedure is a maximum of 26 weeks. | The processing time for the naturalization procedure is a maximum of 12 months. |
| Costs | The fees for processing the option-application are lower than for the naturalization procedure. | The fees for processing the naturalization request are higher than for the option procedure. |
The processing time for the option procedure is a maximum of 26 weeks.
The processing time for the naturalization procedure is a maximum of 12 months.
The decision period is the time required to assess the application. The naturalization ceremony is not included in this.
The naturalization exam in Sint Maarten is administered by the Division of Examinations of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports of Sint Maarten.
For more information you can contact the Division of Examinations via e-mail: divisionexams@sintmaartengov.org.
You can also visit their their website for more information.
For information about the naturalization test, you can contact the Division of Examinations via email: divisionexams@sintmaartengov.org.
You can also visit the website of the Division of Examinations for more information.
Visa
A visa is official permission to temporarily enter a country. When someone receives a visa, a sticker is placed in the passport or another valid travel document. On our Caribbean & Schengen Visa page, you can read more about this.
At the Cabinet of the Governor of Sint Maarten, you can apply for a Caribbean visa or a Schengen visa. In some cases, a transit visa may also be provided.
Visit this website of Nederland Wereldwijd and answer the questions to see if you need a Schengen visa.
You can apply for a Schengen visa up to 6 months before your planned travel date. A visa does not automatically guarantee entry to the Schengen area. Even after entering a country, one must be able to demonstrate compliance with the entry requirements.
If you require a Schengen visa and hold a valid residence permit for the Dutch side of Sint Maarten, Saba, or Sint Eustatius, you can apply at the Cabinet of the Governor of Sint Maarten. Please contact the department of Consular Affairs during telephone consultation hours to schedule an appointment. This is possible from Monday to Thursday between 14:00 and 15:00, or on Friday between 09:00 and 11:00, via the telephone number +1 721 542 1199.
Visit this webpage of Nederland Wereldwijd to see if you need a visa to visit the Dutch side of Sint Maarten or other Caribbean parts of the Dutch Kingdom.
At the bottom of this page of Nederland Wereldwijd you read more on how and where to apply for a Caribbean visa.
Passport
Non-residents of Sint Maarten with Dutch nationality can apply for a Dutch passport at the Cabinet of the Governor of Sint Maarten in certain cases. For example, if their passport has expired or is about to expire, or if the passport is damaged, stolen, or missing. On this page with information about the National Passport, you can read more about this.
All Dutch passport holders who are registered at the Civil Registry Department of Sint Maarten (Census Office), must submit their application at the Civil Registry Department.
If you must travel due to an emergency and you do not have a valid travel document just before the trip, you may apply for a temporary travel document at the department of Consular Affairs under strict conditions. The emergency document is for travel purposes only. It is not valid as proof of identity. You can read more about this on our page about the emergency document.
If you have the Dutch nationality, you can apply for an emergency passport under strict conditions. You must in any case submit supporting documents proving your Dutch nationality. On this (Emergency Document) page you will find more information about the application procedure and the required documents.
For travel for medical reasons, Social & Health Insurances (SZV) informs the Cabinet of the necessity of the trip. The SZV informs the client which documents are required and makes an appointment for the client at the Cabinet to submit and sign all necessary forms. As soon as the file is complete, the emergency passport can be collected.
If you need to travel for medical reasons, you can obtain an emergency passport valid for a maximum of one year. If the reason for the trip is non-medical, you receive an emergency passport for the duration of the trip.
If you are traveling for a non-medical reason and won’t return to Sint Maarten, the emergency passport is valid for the duration of the outward journey. If you do return to Sint Maarten, the document is valid until the date of return as stated on the return ticket. Upon return, you must hand in the emergency passport to the Cabinet of the Governor of Sint Maarten.
Documentation
The Cabinet of the Governor of Sint Maarten must be able to read foreign certificates (such as birth and marriage certificates) and verify their authenticity. Therefore, all documents not written in Dutch or English must be translated. The translation must be performed by a sworn translator for Sint Maarten. Are you having the document translated abroad? Then the translation must also be legalized. On this page of Nederland Wereldwijd you can find information on where to have this done.
All foreign documents must be legalized for use in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Through this webpage of Nederland Wereldwijd you can read about where to have this done.
Appointment
The Consular Department of the Cabinet of the Governor of Sint Maarten only works by appointments or can be contacted during telephone consultation hours. Visiting without an appointment is not possible. On this page of our website you will find the contact details of the department of Consular Affairs.
To apply for Dutch citizenship, you must first complete our online questionnaire on the Dutch Nationality page. If your answers indicate that you may be eligible, you will automatically be directed to the page to schedule an appointment.
To apply for a Dutch passport, you can complete our online questionnaire on the National Passport page. If your answers indicate that you are eligible, you can call the department of Consular Affairs during their telephone consultation hours to schedule an appointment.
For appointments regarding (emergency) passports and visas, or for general questions, please call the department of Consular Affairs during the telephone consultation hours. This is possible from Monday to Thursday from 14:00 to 15:00 or on Friday from 09:00 to 11:00 via telephone number +1 721 542 1199.
The department of Consular Affairs will inform you of the day and time that you can come in for your consultation.
Only in case of medical emergencies outside of office hours, please call +1 721 587 8349 or +1 721 520 8349.
Payments
Click on the links below for more information about the relevant fees. These amounts 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.
Contact
The contact information of the department of Consular Affairs can be found on this contactpage.
The contact information of the department of Consular Affairs can be found on this page with contact details. Please note: the department can only assist via telephone consultations or by appointment. Visiting without an appointment is not possible.
The Cabinet of the Governor of Sint Maarten is located at 2 Falcon Drive (Harbour View) in Philipsburg, Sint Maarten.