Moving to Sint Maarten from the US or Canada: A Practical Guide
Updated: Oct 21
Moving to Sint Maarten from the US or Canada is very doable, but it is not automatic. You can visit for months without a visa, you can buy property freely on the Dutch side, and English is spoken everywhere. Living here full time, though, needs a residence permit, and buying a home does not give you one. Here is what we tell North American clients before they plan a move.
A note before we start: immigration rules change. Everything below comes from official pages at the time of writing. Always confirm your own situation with the relevant authority before you book a container.
Budgeting the move? See what electricity, groceries and condo fees cost in our cost of living guide for St Maarten and St Martin (October 2026).
Update, 21 October 2026: choosing where to live? Our new guide Living in St Maarten and St Martin, area by area compares daily life in each neighborhood, with homes for sale in each.
Moving checklist for 2026
Updated 12 October 2026. Seven steps, in order. Every rule below links to the official source.
Pick your side first. Dutch Sint Maarten and French Saint-Martin run separate immigration systems. A permit on one side does not cover the other.
Dutch side: choose your permit. The Immigration and Border Protection Service (IBPS) issues residence permits. The government’s 2025 requirement list includes Pensioner/Rentenier, Investor, Employee, Director and family routes, most with a Certificate of Good Conduct no older than six months. Its “van rechtswege” (by law) categories cover Dutch nationals and government employees. First-time applicants may not be on the island until a decision is taken, and decisions take about six weeks to three months, says the Ministry of Justice.
French side: long-stay visa or residence permit. Under French rules, a non-EU national staying more than three months needs a long-stay visa or a residence permit (service-public.fr). On Saint-Martin, the foreigners’ service of the Préfecture de Saint-Barthélemy et de Saint-Martin handles it.
Rent first, then buy. Live in an area for a few months before you commit. Foreigners can buy on both sides; see can foreigners buy property in St Maarten and St Martin.
Health insurance before you land. Keep international cover from day one. The 2025 list requires valid medical insurance for St. Maarten for extended family reunion; ask IBPS whether your category needs proof.
Line up your banks. The Investor permit asks for references from two international banks, one in your home country, no older than three months, plus a letter from a local bank. Need a mortgage? Andreu Realty introduces clients to its contacts at RBC and Republic Bank.
Budget the move. Electricity, groceries and condo fees are in our cost of living guide.
How long you can stay as a visitor
On the Dutch side, the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau states that American nationals may stay up to six months uninterrupted, and Canadian nationals up to three months, both with the possibility to extend. Visitors fill in an online entry form (entry.sx) before arriving.
The French side, Saint-Martin, follows French rules for its overseas collectivities, set by the French state. Check current entry conditions with the Préfecture de Saint-Barthélemy et de Saint-Martin or the French consulate that covers you.
Two points people miss:
A visitor stay is not residence. The Ministry of Justice is clear that employment is prohibited during a tourist stay.
There is no border control between the two sides, but the two countries have separate immigration systems. A permit on one side is not a permit on the other.
Residence permits on the Dutch side
Residence permits are handled by the Immigration and Border Protection Service (IBPS) under the Ministry of Justice. The government's service page lists the office at A.Th. Illidge Road #8 in Philipsburg and says permit requests generally take six to eight weeks; the Ministry's own page says six weeks to three months.
The Ministry's page describes several routes, including:
Employment. Your employer first requests an employment permit from the Department of Labour.
Business director. You need your director's licence and business licence from the Department of Economic Affairs before applying.
Family reunification, where a family member is Dutch or holds a valid residence permit.
Study or internship.
The same page says applicants must live on the Dutch side and register at the Civil Registry, and that first-time applicants should not be on the island while their application is processed. Retiring here? The 2025 requirement list has a Pensioner/Rentenier permit, which asks for an official pension letter and recent bank statements. Ask IBPS directly what else applies to you.
Buying a home is not automatic residency. But it can support one route. The government’s 2025 requirement list includes an Investor permit: a local bank must confirm your intention to make a business investment and/or buy real estate in Sint Maarten worth XCG 900,000 in total (about US$503,000 at the legal peg of 1.79 per US dollar), completed within 12 months.
Residence on the French side
For non-EU nationals, residence permits on the French side are handled by the foreigners' service of the Préfecture de Saint-Barthélemy et de Saint-Martin. The categories and paperwork follow French law. Contact the préfecture before you move, not after.
Healthcare
The main hospital on the Dutch side is St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) in Cay Hill. A new St. Maarten General Hospital is under construction: the World Bank reported in June 2026 that the structure had topped out and finishing works were under way. The French side has the Louis-Constant Fleming hospital in Marigot. There are private clinics and specialists on both sides.
For complex care, some residents travel off-island. Most of our North American clients keep international health insurance. Check what your policy covers here before you arrive, and check whether your residence application requires proof of cover.
What daily life costs
We will not quote averages that do not apply to you. What we can say from experience:
Electricity is the bill that surprises people. Air-conditioning runs most of the year. Ask any seller or landlord for a year of actual bills.
Imported goods cost more. Most food and household items arrive by ship.
Housing varies widely. A condo in Simpson Bay, a house in Cole Bay and a villa in Terres Basses are different worlds. Renting for a few months first is often the smartest move; see our take on buying vs renting.
You will need a car. Both sides drive on the right, and public transport is limited.
Taxes follow you
The island is not tax-free. Rental income is taxable, and rules on land tax and succession should be confirmed with a notary and a local tax adviser.
Your home country matters just as much. US citizens remain subject to US tax filing wherever they live, and US estate tax can apply to worldwide assets. Canadians should get advice on whether, and when, they stop being Canadian tax residents. Speak to a cross-border tax adviser before you move, not at the first filing deadline.
Buying a home as a foreigner
This part is straightforward. On the Dutch side, foreigners can buy freely, in their own name or through a company. A civil-law notary checks title and liens, holds the deposit (usually 10%) in escrow and registers the deed at the Land Registry (Kadaster). The buyer pays a 4% transfer tax, and total closing costs commonly come to about 5.5%. On the French side, a French notaire handles the sale and closing costs are higher.
There is no central MLS on the island, so a broker who works both sides sees more of the market. Our Buyer's Guide walks through each step, and our listings are a good place to see what your budget buys.
A sensible order of steps
Visit in both high and low season.
Decide on a side and an area.
Confirm your residence route with IBPS or the préfecture.
Get cross-border tax advice.
Rent for a few months, then buy.
Homes on the market now (12 October 2026)
Relocating? Start here. Homes that work for full-time living, from a first condo to a family villa. Prices as listed by Andreu Realty on 12 October 2026.
The Hills Residence — turnkey 1-bedroom condo, Simpson Bay — $350,000
Princess Heights — 1-bedroom ocean-view condo, Oyster Pond — $299,000
Blue Marine Residence — 2-bedroom condo, Maho — $490,000
House with 2 apartments — 4 bedrooms, Saunders — $495,000
New 3-bedroom condos — Cay Hill — $725,000
Aqualina — 2-bedroom beachfront condo, Simpson Bay — $1,100,000
Villa Sophia — 5-bedroom villa, Almond Grove — $1,590,000
Villa Avanti — 5-bedroom private estate, Terres Basses, French side — $7,150,000
See every property for sale. Splitting the year between home and the island? Read our vacation homes guide.
Questions we get
Can Americans live in Sint Maarten? Yes, with a residence permit. Visits of up to six months are allowed for Americans on the Dutch side, but living here needs a permit from IBPS.
Does buying a house give me residency? Not by itself. Owning a home is not a permit. The official 2025 requirement list does include an Investor permit for a business investment and/or real estate worth XCG 900,000 in total; ask IBPS whether it fits you.
Can I work remotely on a tourist stay? Employment is prohibited during a tourist stay. If you plan to work, even for foreign clients, ask IBPS which permit applies to you.
Is the US dollar used? Yes, on the Dutch side the dollar is used day to day. The French side uses the euro.
Can retirees move to Sint Maarten? Yes, there is a Pensioner/Rentenier residence permit on the Dutch side. The 2025 requirement list asks for an official pension letter, recent bank statements and a recent Certificate of Good Conduct.
Sources: St. Maarten Tourist Bureau (entry requirements); Government of Sint Maarten, Residency Permit service page; Ministry of Justice Sint Maarten, Immigration and Border Protection Services; World Bank, June 2026. Rules change: confirm with the authority before acting. Updated 12 October 2026 with: Government of Sint Maarten, residence permit requirement list (2025); Ministry of Justice, IBPS page; Centrale Bank van Curaçao en Sint Maarten (Caribbean guilder); service-public.fr (French residence rules).
Ready to look at what is on the market? Browse our condos for sale in Sint Maarten and villas for sale in Sint Maarten, or see every property for sale.
More questions? Our Sint Maarten real estate FAQ answers the ones buyers and sellers ask most.
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