Hi. I heard lots of great things about Anguilla and would really want to go there from St. Maarten. I have a couple of concerns though: I am a non-US citizen and I only carry with me a Netherlands Antilles visa (not even good for the Schengen area). Can I go to the French side of the island and take a ferry to Anguilla without violating any local laws? And if I decide to go back via Simpson Lagoon so that I wont enter the French territory, can I buy the ticket even before I leave St Maarten so that I will have something to present to the immigration officials of Anguilla?

Thanks in advance for your responses.

By the way, I would want to go via Marigot because I am going on Aguilla tour with a group of Americans who do not need visas to get to the French side. I just want to make sure I get to tour Anguilla with them.

It is difficult to answer proprly your question since you do not say which nationality you are and imigration laws and issues are VERY tricky sometime...
The following nationals here below DO NOT require a visa:
Holders of British passports, Antigua & Barbuda, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominica, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Ireland Rep, Italy, Japan, Kiribati, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & Grenadines, Samoa, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Spain, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Tuvalu, United States, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Zambia & Zimbabwe...

and you can also check here for more informations :
[www.anguilla-vacation.com]

Kind Regards,
Philippe



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Ooops....Philippe's answer seems more to the point. I assumed that a passport is needed to get to Anguilla so my answer below may not be accurate.


There are no official check points between the Dutch side and the French side and so you could actually travel back and forth between the 2 sides of the island. I assume that you have a passport as well? If not, you will not be able to go through immigration to travel to Anguilla without one. And sometimes the French side has surprise check points. I would assume that you would need your passport then as well.

Am I assuming you will be on a boat or ship and that's why you are mentioning the visa rather than a passport?

[www.vrbo.com]

Life is not a child's game of follow the Leader. Instead, life is more about finding one's own purpose in life....your life's plan, and then making a positive difference on earth.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/06/2009 07:40AM by John.

Thanks, Philippe and John. My fear is that I may be able to leave for Anguilla via Marigot port but will not be able to enter back because I do not have a French visa. In which case, i will have to leave my group and take another ferry that will bring me to Simpson Lagoon just so I could go back to where I will be staying in St Maarten.

I am not sure about all this as having a passport would be a simpler answer. Being that you would still need to produce your paperwork before boarding the ferry to take you to Anguilla in Marigot, if you think you can't return to the French side because of your paperwork, I don't see how they would even let you on the ferry to GET to Anguilla since you would be dealing with the French authorities before even taking your trip.

Maybe someone can enlighten me as well.

[www.vrbo.com]

Life is not a child's game of follow the Leader. Instead, life is more about finding one's own purpose in life....your life's plan, and then making a positive difference on earth.

If they beleive he will be allowed entry in Anguilla does't mean he would be allowed entry back on French Territory, since they may considering him as a "Transit" from the dutch side to Anguilla... But at reverse if he try to re-enter through the French side and that he need a visa for that, that he doesn't have they will deny him entry... They wouldn't let him go on the boat to Anguilla only if they think he would be deny entry there... But if his entry is allowed in Anguilla they care less what he does after, except if he want to re-enter the French side without visa... I am not sure I am clear in my explanation...

Also :

New French Immigration Requirements
The French authorities have informed the Government of Anguilla that, in order to meet new French immigration requirements, all travelers 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 as to whether a French Visa is required.

Detail
The French authorities have said that they will insist that all travelers 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.

Kind Regards,
Philippe



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Oh...ok...the paperwork that's needed to be shown before getting on the ferry is not for checking the person who is on the French side trying to get to another island. It is merely for making sure he will be accepted once he gets to Anguilla. They don't care that his paperwork does not really even allow him to be on the French side to begin with. But that once he/she gets to Anguilla, he/she would have to find an alternate way to get back to the Dutch side because the French authorities would now not allow him entry even though he/she would be claiming that they would be in transit to the Dutch side (the reverse).

Very interesting...thanks Philippe...it doesn't really make sense when you think about it, but then again, many things on the island don't make sense.

[www.vrbo.com]

Life is not a child's game of follow the Leader. Instead, life is more about finding one's own purpose in life....your life's plan, and then making a positive difference on earth.

Neil, what passport do you hold? from what country?

[barcann.livejournal.com]

I hold a Philippines passport

I don't see Philippines on the list Tabba Khady posted above. So you might have a problem getting back in to the French side
Philippe, do you know about the Philippines?

[barcann.livejournal.com]

And entering Anguilla !...:

Nationals of the following countries require a visa to enter Anguilla:
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Benin, Bhutan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Burkina, Burundi, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verdi, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Columbia, Comoros, Congo, Croatia, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kirgizstan, Korea (North), Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Madagascar, Maldives, Maki, Mauritania, Mauritius, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, SaoTome & Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Surinam, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire

And, Philippines citizens need also a visa to enter France. But regarding the status of this island and the agreement of Mont des accords, he can enter the island through the dutch side since he has a visa for it.. but will not be able to re-enter it from Marigot coming back from Anguilla (if you can enter Anguilla in the first place...)

Kind Regards,
Philippe



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well, considering that, I wouldn't even recommend he take the chance of going to Anguilla then

[barcann.livejournal.com]

Hi Good day,

In mid August I will be in st. Martin for one week, I am a Citizen of Trinidad & Tobago. do I need a visa for Anguilla?

I will be staying at the Pelican, just want to visit Anguilla for one day.

do look forward for your response.

Kindest Regards,

Marcia

i am intransiting, do i need a visa for st maarten? i do not have a us visa. i from haiti?