One of the first questions we get: “Do we need a visa for all three islands?”
Short answer: almost certainly no. Longer answer: depends on your passport, your itinerary, and how long you’re staying. Here’s the practical breakdown.
Who governs what
- Anguilla: British Overseas Territory. Follows UK entry rules for visitors.
- Saint Martin (northern half): French territory, part of the EU (with exceptions).
- Sint Maarten (southern half): Constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
- Saint Barthélemy (St Barth): French territory, but a separate overseas collectivity.
So technically a hop between islands = crossing international borders, every time.
Passport requirements
All four destinations require a passport valid for at least 6 months beyond your planned return date. A national ID card may be technically valid for French citizens moving between St Martin and St Barth (both French), but in practice agents at SBH and Marigot regularly ask for a passport. Bring one. It is the safer answer for every hop on this trip.
Visa rules by nationality
US, Canada, UK, EU, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, Japan: No visa required for stays under 90 days on any of the three islands.
Other nationalities: Likely need ETIAS (for the French islands) and a separate visa for Anguilla. Check with your embassy 4-6 weeks before.
Transit through St Martin: if you’re flying into SXM (Dutch side) and going straight to Anguilla, you’re technically transiting through Sint Maarten, no extra visa needed for most nationalities, but you do pass Dutch customs at the airport.
Fees most people don’t know about
Each hop triggers fees. They add up:
| Crossing | Fee | Payable |
|---|---|---|
| Anguilla arrival (per adult) | ~$20 | On arrival, cash |
| Anguilla departure tax | $28 | At ferry terminal |
| St Barth, no tourist tax for day visits | $0 | n/a |
| Sint Maarten departure tax (by air) | included in ticket | n/a |
| St Martin French, no additional fee | $0 | n/a |
Budget about $50 per adult per Anguilla hop in customs fees alone.
What slows people down
- Not filling in arrival forms in advance. Anguilla has an online pre-arrival form. Fill it in the morning of your ferry, not at the terminal.
- Forgetting a photocopy of your passport. Useful when you leave the original at the hotel. We recommend a digital copy on your phone too.
- Carrying only cards. Fees at Anguilla customs: cash only.
- Not having a return ticket or proof of onward travel. Ferry return tickets count. Rare, but agents sometimes ask.
- Arriving with expired passports. Not 6-month-valid means turned away. We’ve seen it.
For kids
Children need their own passports. Under 18s traveling without both parents should have a notarized consent letter from the absent parent(s), especially arriving in Anguilla, where agents are strict. Not optional.
If you’re flying private
Different rules. Jetset charter into SXM or the tiny St Barth airport (SBH) runs through a separate customs lane. Your operator handles most of it. Day-trippers rarely go this route.
The easy way
Fees aside, what usually matters is queue time. On a busy day the customs line alone can eat 45 minutes per direction, so two hours lost on a day-trip.
We pre-file the paperwork, know which agents are on shift, and pre-pay fees where possible. Our guests usually skip the line entirely, both directions.
Stressing about customs shouldn’t be part of your vacation. Tell us your dates, we’ll handle every border.