St. Maarten

About St. Maarten Citizenship and Residency

Saint Martin or St. Maarten are two halves of the same island located at the northern end of the Leeward group of the Lesser Antilles, northeastern Caribbean sea. A border divides the French-administered and Dutch-administered portions of the Island over the years, it has transformed from a tourist destination to a place where people love to live and work, making it a cultural melting pot.

St. Maarten is a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The citizens of St. Maarten are Dutch.

Options in Property Investment

Foreigners are eligible to buy property in St. Maarten or Saint Martin as the island accepts investment from overseas investors. There are no restrictions on foreign investors obtaining real estate in St. Maarten or Saint Martin. Unlike other islands in the Caribbean, non-citizens do not require a permit or license to purchase property on the island.

Property Investment Factors

• The real estate markets on the French side of the island and the Dutch side of the island are both well established and have long fascinated both North American and European property investors.
• The Dutch side recognized as St. Maarten renders an appealing investor permit (RBI scheme) to foreigners. It gives them a way to receive permanent residency and then access to Dutch citizenship.
• Foreigners require at least USD 500,00 for business or real estate investment on the island.
• Property buyers enjoy various advantages. The property purchasing process is relatively simple and, on the Dutch side of the island, there is no capital gain tax.
• On Dutch St. Maarten, places to invest in include Cupecoy, Simpson bay, and Maho on the western coast and Guana Bay and Orient Bay on the east.
• The real estate market on the Dutch side of the island offers a more diverse range of properties for sale, including apartments, villas, and condos on the waterfront.
• The Terres Basses (lowlands) area, on the French side of the island, is the setting for some of the most magnificent luxury homes.
• Splendid houses and villas are nestled on hillsides along the exquisite beaches at Baie Longue and Baie Rouge.
• The northern coast known as Orient Bay is renowned for one of the most captivating beaches on the island. It is also a popular place to own a home on French Saint Martin.

Benefits of St. Maarten Residency

No fixed controls on foreign exchange. Foreign exchange controls are different forms of restraints enforced by the government on the sale/purchase of foreign currencies by residents or on the sale/purchase of local currency by nonresidents. There are no fixed governmental impositions on USD and Euro commercial bank accounts in Saint Martin for the investors. The official currency on the Dutch side is Netherlands Antillean Guilder (NAF) but, the US Dollar is commonly used and accepted in all parts of the island. On the French side, the official currency is the Euro but taken on both sides.

Zero property tax. St. Martin imposes no capital gain taxes, property taxes, goods and services taxes, sale taxes, or harmonized sale taxes, reducing the overall cost of living and boosting investment returns.

Duty-free on imports. St. Martin has no customs duties on imported or exported materials, so you can easily import or export your goods or bring your personal belongings, such as your furniture, car, boat, etc.

High standard of living. The living standard in St. Maarten is relatively high compared to other neighboring islands. Liquor and Entertainment are remarkably affordable on the island, and all kinds of groceries and essentials are widely available. The availability of products includes a vast range of North American and European products.

Multicultural. St. Maarten is a small island and has a diverse and multicultural society with people visiting from over 100 countries. Dutch and englishes are the official languages on the Dutch side and French on the French part of the island.

St. Maarten Residency Requirements And Qualifications

A copy of your valid passport

∘ All pages of the passport must be copied.

∘ The information page must be copied in full color.

∘ No cut-offs are allowed on the copies.

∘ The copies should preferably have been scaled to size.

∘ The validity of the passport must be at least six months out, from the date of application.

An original birth certificate

∘ This document has to be legalized by a Dutch Embassy or bear an apostille stamp from the country of issuance.

∘ This document cannot be older than 3 years.

∘ If issued in a language other than English or Dutch, a certified translation of the document is required. This translation must also b legalized.

An original police record

∘ This document cannot be older than 6 months.

∘ Legalization by a Dutch Embassy or an apostille stamp from the country of issuance is not a formal requirement, but we encourage obtaining one when possible.

∘ BrightPath Caribbean reserves the right to refuse police records that are not in original formats, such as a downloaded version of an internet report or one that our staff cannot readily verify.

If married, an original marriage certificate

∘ This document has to be legalized by a Dutch Embassy or bear an apostille stamp from the country of issuance.

∘ This document cannot be older than 6 months.

∘ If issued in a language other than English or Dutch, a certified translation of the document is required. This translation must also be legalized.

Steps And Timeline

There are 3 easy steps

Step 1: Apply Online. In this step, you must enter your correct information into the online form to process your visa.

Step 2: Pay and Confirm. Review your information to make sure that all are correct. Then you need to choose the payment method.

Step 3: Receive Visa. After finishing step 2, please check your email for the e-Visa confirmation link in PDF format.

Our Services

Privacy World offers its services to anyone, not only looking to obtain residency and citizenship processes but our experts figure out legal ways to:

• Find the best solution for your needs.
• Identify and deploy a strategy to help you accomplish your goals.
• Activate our network of people in the country where you need help without having you search for the best solution or lawyer. We only work with licensed people in every country whom we carefully vet and pass the guidelines and principles of privacy we stand for.
• Focus on cutting through the red tape and expedite your process.
• Provide proper communication with you about your case.
  …. and above all: Offer you legal strategies to provide additional layers of privacy for your identity, while obtaining your residency or citizenship!

Privacy World can also help you with incorporating your company in St. Maarten, assisting in getting you settled in the country, and coordinating with you so that this experience will be less hassle.

Want Privacy World to handle your case? Have any questions? Contact us!

FAQ’s