The requirement for Guyanese and Jamaicans to have visas before entering St Maarten came into effect from last Monday and according to one report the new requirement has left travellers already booked to visit the country in the coming days in limbo because no notice was given.
A report in the Daily Herald in the Dutch/French island reported that its Justice Minister Roland Duncan confirmed that visas were now needed. He made the disclosure in a press release issued after the newspaper contacted his office asking for clarity because the Dutch Consulate in St. Kitts and Nevis had sent out a fax on Monday morning to travel agents in countries under its jurisdiction.
According to the report, the island’s administration had taken the decision to put a visa requirement in place for nationals of the two countries in a bid to curb the influx of undocumented persons and crime. That decision of the Council of Ministers was sent on to the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
It said that while the press release from Duncan and the fax from the Dutch Consulate in St. Kitts and Nevis stated that the visa requirement was in immediate effect, travellers in Guyana who contacted Dutch authorities there were told that an official enforcement date still had to be set. This meant that travellers already booked can still travel without a visa until the yet-to-be decided enforcement date.
Hundreds of Guyanese travel back and forth between Guyana and St Maarten. The Dutch Consulate in Guyana directed callers to a contact person at John Fernandes Limited who explained that forms for visa applications could be obtained at the office when requirement was enforced.
The Daily Herald report said that its attempts to get further clarification on the state of affairs from the Justice Ministry proved futile and personnel at the ministry were not even aware that the visa requirement had come into effect on Monday and were provided with a copy of the St Kitts fax obtained by the newspaper.
Duncan stated in that release, “Therefore, it is of utmost importance that all persons travelling to St. Maarten, who are of Guyanese and Jamaican nationality, be aware and informed that all border controls are in place to ensure that this new policy is enforced.”
The Justice Ministry promised to give a further explanation on what will happen to travellers already booked to visit the island after additional enquiries by the Daily Herald.
Jamaicans and Guyanese have to request visas for St. Maarten in their country of residence and a written request must be submitted by the inviter in St. Maarten for approval at the Immigration and Naturalisation Department, according to Duncan’s press release.
The fax from the Dutch Consulate stated: “Effective today [April 11 ed.], nationals of Jamaica and Guyana require a visa for Aruba and St. Maarten, and do not require a visa for Bonaire, St. Eustatius, Saba and Curaçao.
“However, a visa for Aruba is not required for holders of Jamaican passports in possession of a valid multiple entry visa for the United States of America, Canada, or Schengen territories.”
Also, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs Website still lists Jamaica and Guyana as two countries that don’t require visas for the Caribbean part of the Kingdom: Aruba, Curaçao, St. Maarten and the Dutch public entities Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba.
Requirements for a visa are a recent colour passport photo, passport (must be valid for three months after the end of travel), job letter, company registration papers or school letter, bank letter, copy of travel itinerary from a travel agency, copy of current passport along with a copy of the work permit page and travel insurance (US $15,000 or EC $41,000).
If the trip is by invitation letter, the applicant needs a copy of the inviter’s passport, copy of proof of living in St. Maarten (if not national), and a guarantee declaration.
If the applicant is staying in a hotel, a copy of the confirmed booking and proof of sufficient funds (US $100 to US $200 per day) is required with the application.
Visas cannot be applied for more than three months in advance. Processing time is approximately two-three weeks.
