Saint Martin · Relocation guide
Moving to Saint Martin: permission and practical setup
French Saint Martin and Dutch Sint Maarten share an island but not immigration, work, tax, health or school systems. Select the French collectivity in France-Visas and secure French-side status before treating cross-border travel as part of daily life.
Content updated 12 September 2026. Individual source-check dates are listed below.
Choose the French side in every status check
Saint Martin is a French overseas collectivity outside Schengen; the destination-specific France-Visas result controls entry. Talent or family residence must cover the French side. A French document should not be assumed to authorise work or residence in Dutch Sint Maarten, or vice versa.
| Plan | Route | Important distinction |
|---|---|---|
| French-side long stay | Long-Stay Overseas Visa | Saint Martin selected in France-Visas |
| French-side qualified work | Talent Passport / Qualified Work | French talent eligibility |
| French-side family life | Private and Family Life Residence | Relationship and prefecture process |
Keep side-specific evidence and addresses
Prepare passport, visa receipt, translated civil records, employer or family evidence and French-side accommodation proof. Use the Saint-Barthélemy and Saint-Martin prefecture for local title instructions and retain travel evidence for any route through the Dutch-side airport.
Verify the side, address and storm resilience before paying
Complete French visa validation or residence filing as instructed. Confirm the property is legally on the French side and accepted as French address proof. Inspect hurricane protection, water, power, internet, insurance and access after a border or road disruption.
Keep French tax, health and payroll records separate
Use Assurance Maladie for the French-side health process and contact the French tax service for the actual residence and income facts. Cross-border work can create separate immigration, payroll and tax questions; obtain answers before accepting a Dutch-side role.
Choose a school and healthcare system before housing
Confirm whether the child will enrol on the French side and provide mairie and school documents. Verify French-side healthcare and off-island referral arrangements. A partner working across the border needs the Dutch-side permission required for that job.
Plan airport, vehicle, Customs and pet crossings
Confirm foreign-licence treatment and vehicle registration for French normal residence. Check Customs and animal-health rules for the arrival route, especially if landing or collecting cargo on the Dutch side; open-road movement is not a waiver of formal entry rules.
Your moving checklist
Tick off the tasks that apply to you. The timing is a planning order, not a substitute for the deadlines on your permission or an official instruction.
0 of 12 tasks completed
Sources and checks
The linked authorities set the rules. VisaAtlas explains how the steps fit together; planning suggestions are not a decision on your immigration status, tax residence or entitlement to services.
- France-Visas official portalSource checked 12 September 2026
- Service Public: Talent residence cardSource checked 12 September 2026
- Service Public: private and family life cardSource checked 12 September 2026
- Saint-Barthélemy and Saint-Martin prefectureReference link — confirm current instructions with this organisation.
- Assurance MaladieSource checked 12 September 2026
- French tax authoritySource checked 12 September 2026
- Education Ministry: school enrolmentSource checked 12 September 2026
- Service Public: exchange an EU driving licenceSource checked 12 September 2026
- French CustomsReference link — confirm current instructions with this organisation.
- French Agriculture MinistryReference link — confirm current instructions with this organisation.