TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Immigration Lines

Hello Everyone,

In 2019 when we arrived the immigration line must have had 500+ people. We walked to the right (walking past the 500) to the far right immigration booth (with 10 people) with no problems. Question, we are arriving on Saturday 1/22, I assume this plan will work again?

Today was the worst I've ever see it in twenty five years.

I think that the far right booth is for people who live on the island and are returning home. Yes?

That is how is has been in the past. If not in use, they will sometimes ask others in line to come to that booth.

Wheelchairs also go through that booth.

Immigration lines are always anyone’s guess. If you are the only flight arriving at a given time you can sail through but any time after noon, and particularly on a Saturday, there will most likely be long lines there. What you really hope to avoid is arrival right after Air France or KLM. This happened to us once since hurricane Irma and it was chaotic.

The extreme right lane is marked for residents only but I agree, if not busy they may let you go through it as well as those wheelchair bound passengers needing assistance. But then again, we’ve seen them turn non-residents around and shoo them back to the regular lines. The end of those lines.

Arrived yesterday, delayed out of PHL. Arrive about 6pm after Air France, it was bad but with that said only hour total. TriA was there waiting super car service, so glad they are a sponsor.

Yes, the far right lane was always for residents. I have often seen non-residents try to use that line and get turned away. I have never personally had the 'nads to try to use that lane, unless invited by the agent.

Thank you for the info, looks like I broke the rules 3 years ago without even knowing I did.

From years of traveling I have seen people line up for lines for no reason. So I always question it, this time we will wait patiently in the long line. We arrive Sat 1/22 at 1.30, so I expect the worse.

Arrived today a tad after 1pm...maybe 10-15 minutes for the whole process (most was waiting for the bus to leave) . Directed to the residents line and no issues. Took longer for the stairs to arrive for deplaning than to get through everything INCLUDING luggage pickup...Lesley was there waiting for us and off we went....and our 5th floor SBR upper B building room was ready when we checked in....shocked!