andynap
Senior Insider
From The Journal De Saint Barth
[UPDATE]: UPDATE ON IMPERIOUS GROUNDS BETWEEN SAINT-MARTIN AND SAINT-BARTHÉLEMY O 02/09/2021
On Sunday January 7, we received incorrect information regarding the travel conditions between Saint-Barth-Saint-Martin and Sint-Maarten. We published an article on our website with errors, we apologize to our readers. To see more clearly, we questioned the prefectural services. Since February 6, 2021, travelers between Saint-Barthélemy and Saint-Martin no longer need to prove a compelling reason to travel from one island to another. PCR tests for these trips are no longer mandatory but recommended. While in metropolitan France, travel between regions remains authorized, the Presidents of the Collectivities of Saint-Barthélemy and Saint-Martin had co-signed a letter addressed to the Minister of Overseas Sébastien Lecornu to request the lifting of travel restrictions for the northern islands. . Bruno Magras had also written personally to the minister. Does the measure only concern residents? Yes and no. Airlines and shipping companies can check if you can justify a drop-off point on one island or another. For example, if a tourist has resided in a hotel in Saint-Martin since a date prior to the establishment of the compelling reasons for travel, he can go to Saint-Barthélemy.
But if a tourist arrives by plane in Sint-Maarten, decides to go to Saint-Martin and then to Saint-Barthélemy, his place of residence will be verified by airlines or shipping companies. If he owns a residence on one of the islands he will be able to stay because returning home is considered a compelling reason. No hotel will be able to accommodate him.
Tourist stays remain prohibited for the moment.
Can we move from Saint-Barthélemy to Sint-Maarten? No. Discussions are underway to lift the compelling reason requirement to move from one area to another. But for the Prefecture, the authorities of Sint-Maarten have not given sufficient guarantees to lift this ban. In addition, one can always move between Sint-Maarten and Saint-Martin. A person entering French territory must make a commitment to isolate themselves for seven days and to justify a negative PCR test of less than 72 hours.
Can connecting travelers make the Saint-Martin-Saint-Barthélemy connection without justifying an overriding reason? No. Travelers coming from or going to Saint-Martin must justify a compelling reason. It will be checked by their airline before their departure.
[UPDATE]: UPDATE ON IMPERIOUS GROUNDS BETWEEN SAINT-MARTIN AND SAINT-BARTHÉLEMY O 02/09/2021
On Sunday January 7, we received incorrect information regarding the travel conditions between Saint-Barth-Saint-Martin and Sint-Maarten. We published an article on our website with errors, we apologize to our readers. To see more clearly, we questioned the prefectural services. Since February 6, 2021, travelers between Saint-Barthélemy and Saint-Martin no longer need to prove a compelling reason to travel from one island to another. PCR tests for these trips are no longer mandatory but recommended. While in metropolitan France, travel between regions remains authorized, the Presidents of the Collectivities of Saint-Barthélemy and Saint-Martin had co-signed a letter addressed to the Minister of Overseas Sébastien Lecornu to request the lifting of travel restrictions for the northern islands. . Bruno Magras had also written personally to the minister. Does the measure only concern residents? Yes and no. Airlines and shipping companies can check if you can justify a drop-off point on one island or another. For example, if a tourist has resided in a hotel in Saint-Martin since a date prior to the establishment of the compelling reasons for travel, he can go to Saint-Barthélemy.
But if a tourist arrives by plane in Sint-Maarten, decides to go to Saint-Martin and then to Saint-Barthélemy, his place of residence will be verified by airlines or shipping companies. If he owns a residence on one of the islands he will be able to stay because returning home is considered a compelling reason. No hotel will be able to accommodate him.
Tourist stays remain prohibited for the moment.
Can we move from Saint-Barthélemy to Sint-Maarten? No. Discussions are underway to lift the compelling reason requirement to move from one area to another. But for the Prefecture, the authorities of Sint-Maarten have not given sufficient guarantees to lift this ban. In addition, one can always move between Sint-Maarten and Saint-Martin. A person entering French territory must make a commitment to isolate themselves for seven days and to justify a negative PCR test of less than 72 hours.
Can connecting travelers make the Saint-Martin-Saint-Barthélemy connection without justifying an overriding reason? No. Travelers coming from or going to Saint-Martin must justify a compelling reason. It will be checked by their airline before their departure.
