A MESSAGE TO OUR VISITORS: Entry requirements and protocols before your travels to St Maarten.
The Government of St. Maarten is continuously monitoring global developments to ensure the safety of our visitors and citizens. We advise to regularly check our updates pertaining to entry requirements and protocols before your travels. Last Updated: April 22nd 12:22 PM Update in Q1 in FAQ, India and Pakistan added to list of Banned Countries A MESSAGE TO OUR VISITORS Since March, we’ve all been staying home, wearing masks, and social distancing for the safety of all our citizens, and our visitors. The time away has been a bitter moment for all of us, but The Friendly Island is proud to announce that we are welcoming back our international visitors to our beautiful shores. We kindly ask our visitors to read our safety protocol and travel requirements below before traveling to St. Maarten. See you soon! TRAVEL ENTRY REQUIREMENTS To ensure the safety and well-being of visitors and residents, entry requirements will be in place for visitors to enter St. Maarten along with other safety measures at the Princess Juliana International Airport. As of April 5 2021 until further notice, ONLY residents of Sint Maarten, Sint Martin, Saba and St. Eustatius will be permitted to return from Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire to Sint Maarten.1.Due to the COVID-19 epidemic Sint Maarten has established a mandatory health authorization application through an Electronic Health Authorization System (EHAS) for every visitor arriving by air including transits, Sint Maarten and Sint Martin residents. Without the health pre-authorization boarding will not be possible. Be advised that processing time can take up to 12 hours. Visitors arriving on a vessel please read the latest requirements on www.yachtingstmaarten.com 2.The requirements vary depending on the country risk status which can be found at www.stmaartenentry.com. Children must have the online health form filled out by their parents.3. The application must be completed in order to be processed. This includes the purchase of the mandatory COVID-19 insurance and a negative COVID-19 test result in case they are required. 5. If you are suffering from flu like symptoms and/or fever travel will be denied by the airline and by the EHAS. 6. As of January 27, 2021, until further notice, a travel ban is in place for persons who have been the 14 days before departing to Sint Maarten in a banned country as mentioned in the “banned countries” table on www.stmaartenentry.com. 7. Sint Maarten/Sint Martin/Saba/St. Eustatius residents are exempted from the travel ban and should get a rt-PCR test before departure. If not, a rt-PCR test will be performed upon arrival for a fee of $125.00. The EHAS application must be completed. 8. All incoming passengers are subjected to temperature checks and other screening protocols and may be subjected to mandatory testing at their own expense. Failure to comply with the screening at the Health Check Point upon arrival will result in you not being cleared to enter St. Maarten and sent back to your originating country. 9. If re-tested upon arrival you will be required to self-isolate or self-quarantine at your place of lodging/residence until the test results are known. 10. Provide a working email address on which you are reachable. 11. Monitor your health on a daily basis during your stay. 12. Applicants will receive confirmation of their accepted application. Non-completed applications will be automatically deleted within a day after the provided travel date. 13. If health authorization is pre-approved, you will receive a (printable) pre-authorization via e-mail, which must be presented to the health and immigration authorities upon arrival. The original rt-PCR or antigen test result should be presented to the health authorities upon request. Please check your spam/junk mail folder as well in case you haven’t received a response. 14. If health authorization is not pre-approved, you will receive an e-mail informing you that health pre-authorization has been denied. MANDATORY INSURANCE 1.The government of Sint Maarten has implemented a mandatory COVID-19 insurance for all travelers with destination Sint Maarten with the exception of Sint Maarten residents, transit passengers, flight crews, transiting cruise ship crew, BES-ZVK medical referrals, and AUC faculty and students. 2. The insurance purchasing process is an integrated step in the EHAS application. Travelers requiring the COVID-19 insurance must complete this process upon application. 3. For more information on and all questions related to the COVID-19 insurance please visit www.sxmprotectionplan.com or contact customer support at info@sxmprotectionplan.com. COVID-19 TEST REQUIREMENTS 1.A rt-PCR test for the SARS-COV-2 virus obtained from a naso-pharyngeal swab performed within 72 hours prior to departure to Sint Maarten (last leg in case of connecting flights) is required for all travelers originating from a country that is categorized as high risk. Antibody tests and tests performed outside of the 72 hours period will not be accepted. Results from home covid-19 collection test kits will also not be accepted. Airlines might require you to show a negative lab test result. For travelers from the USA, US territories and Canada the time frame remains 120 hrs. prior to departure. This will remain in effect as long as the national health authorities of the USA and Canada do not require differently for their traveling citizens. 2. Alternatively, travelers originating from the USA and Canada can do an antigen test for the SARS-COV-2 virus obtained from a naso-pharyngeal swab performed within 48 hours prior to departure to Sint Maarten. All FDA approved antigen tests including those with Emergency Use Authorization only (EUA) are accepted. Tests performed outside of the 48 hours period and home tests will not be accepted. 3. Travelers residing in and/or traveling from a low-risk country are exempted from the mandatory rt-PCR or antigen test. 4. Travelers who reside in a low-risk country but have visited a high-risk country in the 14 days prior to departing to Sint Maarten, must also have a rt-PCR or antigen test for the SARS-COV-2 virus performed within 72 respectively 48 hours prior to departure to Sint Maarten (last leg in case of connecting flights). 5.The original test result to be uploaded as part of EHAS application procedure must clearly specify the name of the laboratory or clinic, full name of test subject, type of test administered, name of antigen test, swab date, source of the swab, result date and a negative result. 6. Incomplete results, hand written or e-mail statements from doctors will not be accepted. 7. Children under the age of 10 are exempted from the mandatory rt-PCR or antigen test. 8. Airline and private flight crews with stopovers in St. Maarten or St. Martin must demonstrate a valid negative rt-PCR or antigen test upon arrival. Crew members not in possession of a valid negative rt-PCR or antigen test must self-quarantine until their departure flight. Thank you for choosing St. Maarten as your preferred vacation destination! Click for Full List of all Travel Entry Requirements and EHAS Form Disclaimer: Protocols are subject to change based on advice from the Ministry of Public Health ST. MAARTEN VISITOR PROTECTION PLAN Click for Full List of all Travel Entry Requirements and EHAS Form While on Island • Get to know the guidelines and protocols of your lodging facility and activity providers, and adhere to these guidelines and protocols • Wear masks when social distancing is not possible, during your stay on island and avoid touching mouth, eyes, nose • Sanitize and wash hands frequently • Avoid touching surfaces as much as possible • We recommend to vacation safe and adhere to the guidelines while exploring our Friendly Island • If feeling unwell, contact the hotel’s front desk/ hotel's COVID-19 task force team immediately or contact the health department by dialing 914 TESTING ON ISLAND Health Care Laboratory Orange Grove Mall Unit 12 Tel: +1721-544-1036 Email: info@healthcarelab.sx Website: www.sxmhealthlab.com St. Maarten Laboratory Services 1G Hamster Drive Tel: +1721-542-2518 Email: prescreening@sls.sx Website: www.sls.sx BioPôle Antilles 46 rue Manioc, Hope Estate +590 (0) 590 77 69 77 Website: www.biopoleantilles. Medwork Puerta Del Sol Plaza, Simpson Bay Email: girish@medcare.aw Website: www.medcare.aw More Information on Testing on Island FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 01. What are the travel entry requirements to enter St. Maarten? 1. Passengers and airline crew arriving from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, India, Pakistan Panama, Paraguay, Peru, South Africa, Suriname, Uruguay or Venezuela are not allowed to enter. - This does not apply to residents of Saba, St. Eustatius, St. Maarten and St. Martin. 2. Passengers entering or transiting through St. Maarten must have a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test. The test must: - be based on a nasal and oral swab; and - must be issued at most 72 hours before departure of the last direct flight to St. Maarten. - This does not apply to: - passengers younger than 10 years; - residents of St. Maarten; - until 22 March 2021, passengers arriving from Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Barbados, Bermuda, Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba, Canada, Cayman Isl., China (People's Rep.), Curacao, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, New Zealand, Singapore, St. Barthelemy, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Thailand, USA or Virgin Isl. (British); - effective 23 March 2021, passengers arriving from Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Barbados, Bermuda, Canada, Cayman Isl., China (People's Rep.), Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, New Zealand, Singapore, St. Barthelemy, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Thailand, USA or Virgin Isl. (British). 3. Residents of St. Maarten entering or transiting through St. Maarten without a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test are subject to a COVID-19 test upon arrival at their own expense. The test must be based on a nasal and oral swab and be issued at most 72 hours before departure of the last direct flight to St. Maarten. - This does not apply to passengers younger than 10 years. 4. Passengers arriving from Canada or USA, entering or transiting through St. Maarten must have: - a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test. The test must be based on a nasal and oral swab and be issued at most 120 hours before departure of the last direct flight to St. Maarten; or - a negative COVID-19 antigen test. The test must be based on a nasal and oral swab and be issued at most 48 hours before departure of the last direct flight to St. Maarten. - This does not apply to: - passengers younger than 10 years; - residents of St. Maarten. 5. Airline crew without a negative COVID-19 antigen or RT-PCR test are subject to quarantine until their next flight. The test must be based on a nasal and oral swab and be issued at most 72 hours before departure of the last direct flight to St. Maarten. 6. Passengers entering or transiting through St. Maarten must complete a health declaration form at least 12 hours before departure obtained at https://stmaartenentry.com/ . They must also present a pre-approved e-mail authorization at time of check-in and upon arrival. IMPORTANT LINKS Princess Juliana International Airport For the latest airline scheduling we advise you to visit www.sxmairport.com The Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labor If you are displaying symptoms of COVID-19 or would like to speak to someone about this topic please refer to the below contact details: Collective Prevention Services (CPS) Hotline during business hours: 914 Email: EHAS@sintmaartengov.org Government of Sint Maarten For more information and updates relating to COVID-19 and the actions of Government of Sint Maarten please visit www.sintmaartengov.org/corona
