MARIGOT — United States tourists cannot cross the border from Dutch Sint Maarten to French Saint starting today, according to The Daily Herald, a Philipsburg, Sint Maarten newspaper. The report says the announcement is until further notice.
Sylvie Feucher, prefect of Saint Martin and Saint Barthélemy, has previously said that, due to a high number of COVID-19 (coronavirus) cases in American, that she would close the French/Dutch border should the Dutch government reopen Princess Juliana International Airport to inbound flights from the U.S.
To enter Sint Maarten, travelers must complete a self-health declaration form online 72 hours prior to arrival (www.stmaartenentry.com) and carry your copy; take a COVID-19 (PCR) test result within 72 hours prior to your arrival date; and wear a mask during travel, plus more. At Princess Juliana International Airport, travelers will have to go through an thermal scanner and show your health declaration form and certified COVID-19 (PCR) negative test at Immigration.
The only people who can cross onto the French side are those with authorizations based on professional or medical reasons. These travelers, coming from Princess Juliana (from mainland France, the Schengen Area or from the list of safe countries) will be allowed to pass through the border by presenting their plane ticket, their PCR test of less than 72 hours with a negative result, and a completed health declaration form.
According to Johns Hopkins University & Medicine, Saint Martin has had 49 confirmed cases of coronavirus with three deaths; Sint Maarten has recorded 128 cases and 15 deaths. According to The New York Times, 25 states (plus Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico) are seeing an increase of coronavirus cases.
Overall, the U.S. has about 4.5 million cases—the most of any country in the world.