TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Passport expiration

I've read somewhere before but can't find it - what's the rule on passport expiration when entering SXM? Does it have to have at least three months before expiring or is it six?

Passport must be valid at time of entry

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Must also be valid at time of return to the USA.

It needs only to be valid for the duration of your stay. However, if you're planning on visiting another island, you need to check their requirements. Anguilla, for example, requires three months.

State Department

According to the US State Department visitors to Anguilla must have passports valid at time of entry.

US passports must always be valid at time of return to the USA.

Really? I read three months somewhere else, and just sent mine off to be renewed for that very reason. Oh well.....

These requirement do change from time to time.

Did you order passport cards? Well worth the extra $30.00

I did. I've not had one in the past, but decided to get it this time.

Google search is displaying incorrect information too , although that's not where I saw the three month requirement. I reported the error to Google, for what good it'll do. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

SXM itself is not a problem, if one is arriving at PJIA. The problem is going to other islands, as you said, or arriving on the French side. Not sure about Anguilla itself, but I think that entry into FRENCH SXM is 6 months, so since the most common way for people to go to Anguilla is from the French side, then it would be a problem coming back. I believe that St. Barts is also 6 months.

Hmm, I didn't think of that! I guess it's a good thing I renewed mine after all.

According to the Offical St. Barth Tourism website, the passport just needs to be valid for 3 from date of entry. France is also 3 months from entry date as well, so I believe the whole French Republic is 3 months from entry date. The St. Martin tourism website doesn't list a validity requirement, but I'm sure it would be the same as the rest of the France.

For Anguilla, according to the Anguilla Tourist Board, the passport just has to be valid beyond the departure date.

OK, not sure where I got 6 months from, although even the official tourism site often isn't correct on these kind of things. They definitely do have different rules than Dutch SXM though.

Our State Department Website states six months, Carol. It's really hard to know what the rules are!

And it says, last updated June 1, 2016. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Crazy.gif" alt="" /> So for your sake, glad you sent your renewal in.

It is good you have requested the passport card. Valid for international travel by land and sea and domestic travel by land, sea and air., but not for international air. Some States ID's may need to be updated for travel purposes so having the passport card may come in handy. We have used it for a domestic flight to Charleston recently.

There are only a couple of states that are a problem, as far as driver license as ID for flying, not sure which ones they are now, although I know that Florida is not. Is NY driver's license not good enough to fly?

YES

not for very long....

Washington St has on the problem list earlier.

If one has an approaching trip I can understand the concern. Personally, I like to plan ahead and if I knew I had a trip coming 6 months out I would go ahead and renew and eliminate any chance of a problem. Seems the rules and requirements change and with the confusion this topic always seems to generate, I would rather be safe than sorry.

Just renewed mine. Did not use expedited service and it took exactly 2 weeks.

Good deal, no reason to wait and/or fret about what MIGHT happen.

Coincidentally, I was speaking to our local postmaster just this morning about renewing our passports which expire in the next few months. He indicated that new passports can typically take anywhere from two to six weeks and renewals anywhere from one to three weeks, depending on the season and the likelihood of increased applications in anticipation of up-coming travel, and that's based on standard apps without expedited services. Guess we'll find out next month.... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Pat--I assume that you know that there is no reason to renew through the post office?? In fact, it will probably take longer if you do so. Just go to CVS or wherever and get your pictures done, fill out the application and send it in yourself. I'm not certain, but I think it may cost more to do it through the post office also.

Carol,

I can download the papers and fill them out at home and bring them to our local post office, either during regular hours or on a Saturday by appointment, and they do the photos right there and send it on its way. Our postmaster said no extra fees involved although I'm willing to bet they do charge for their passport photos, but in the end, given my druthers, I'd rather hit the rural post office as opposed to the busy CVS. Whatever works, right?

For sure they charge for the passport photos. I am pretty sure there used to be an extra fee to do it through the post office, but they have perhaps done away with that. For us, it is much more convenient to go somewhere else for the photos, but whatever works for you is all good!

Carol is right. If you renew by mail, its $110. If you go to a passport acceptance facility (post offices, clerk of courts, etc..), you will pay the $110 for the passport renewal plus a $25 execution fee.

If you are a member of AAA (and it may depend on the membership level) they will do photos at no charge, at least in our case they did. We also used the free photo service for CCW photos.

OK, thanks. I was too lazy to look it up, but know there used to be an extra fee at the post office.

Hubby and I applied at same time. Hubby got his in one week. I got mine in four weeks 6 days. Go figure!

This happened in Antigua quite recently.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g1...nd_Barbuda.html

It's so hard to know what is really the correct information these days. It seems like the wiser policy is just to renew the passport, period. So sorry for what happened to those people. That was very unfortunate.

Just a note about our renewal.

As I posted earlier, can't remember if it was in this thread or not, Grace and I went to SXM on July 23 and returned July 30. Both our Passports were expiring on Aug 16. We had NO issues or questions from anyone here in the US or in SXM. Cant speak for any other Islands or Countries.

On August 1 I downloaded the renewal forms, filled out everything, ran to a CVS for photo and wrote the checks. Off for a quick trip to the Post Office & sent as registered mail. No high fees to expedite it at all. We both received them today. That's a 10 day turn around. No guarantee it will be that quick for anyone else but it was for us.

It is best NOT to procrastinate.

I don't disagree JD. I did check the boards and read from other sources that we would be ok. I won't lie, I was nervous but I did wait too long.

I was stunned by the 10 day turnaround.

Very glad it worked out for you.

Just recently renewed mine for my upcoming trip at the end of October. My passport was going to expire the beginning of March of 2017. Didn't want to take any chances either. Went to the Post Office for all the paperwork and picture. Was told the turn around would be 4-6 weeks. 11 days later, it was in my mailbox. Now good til 2027.

When we renewed in October we chose the option on the application for Priority Express Delivery for $20.66. We received ours in 2 weeks.
We chose this because a friend received her old passport and not her new one. It was lost for weeks and she had to go thru a lot of paper work and phone calls and reapply. Months later she received the lost one that was no longer valid because she received her replacement.