| Press Notice from the Governor's Office START TRAINING NOW!!
ANGUILLA/ST MARTIN: FRENCH IMMIGRATION REQUIREMENTS SUMMARY The French authorities have informed the Government of Anguilla that, in order to meet new French immigration requirements, all travellers to French St Martin will have to carry a valid, current passport as from 1 July 2005. Anguillians with either an Anguillian British Overseas Territories Citizen (BOTC) passport (commonly known as an Anguillian passport) or a British Citizen passport will be able to travel without a French visa. But other nationals may be subject to existing French immigration regulations and should, if they are uncertain, check with the French Embassy in St Lucia whether they will need a French visa. DETAIL The French authorities have said that they will insist that all travellers must carry a valid, current passport for entry into French St Martin as from 1 July ‘05. This rules out the use of Permanent Residence or Belongership cards or any other form of personal identification such as Temporary Travel Permits, which may have been accepted before. The French authorities also state that US Citizens will have to carry a current, valid passport if they wish to enter French St Martin. The French authorities have agreed that Anguillians travelling on an Anguillian BOTC passport (commonly known as an Anguillian passport) will not/not require a French visa to enter French St Martin. However, Anguillian BOTC passport holders will continue to have to obtain a French visa to enter metropolitan France and the French Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe, Martinique and St Barts as before. British Citizen and other European Union passport holders do not require a visa to travel to the European Union or the French Caribbean islands. The French authorities have said that they will also insist that foreign nationals residing in Anguilla must obtain a visa to travel to French St Martin if they would normally have to have a visa to enter France and the other French Caribbean islands. Citizens of most Caribbean islands, Belize, and Guyana amongst others may therefore have to obtain a French visa if they wish to travel to French St Martin. Foreign residents in Anguilla who travel on a foreign passport other than a British Citizen or BOTC (Anguillian) passport, should, if necessary, check the French visa requirements for citizens of their nationality with the French Embassy in St Lucia (telno: 1 758 455 6060), which will issue the necessary visas. The French authorities plan to enforce these requirements as from 1 July ’05. The Government of Anguilla is seeking an extension to this deadline but the French authorities may insist on it. The French authorities have also indicated that there may be other requirements, on which the Government of Anguilla has sought further, urgent clarification. The Government of Anguilla will work actively to protect the close relationship that has long existed between Anguilla and St Martin.
24 May ‘05 |