Passport requirements...??

Hey All,

I am traveling to St Maarten in January 2017, from Canada & my passport expires in July 2017. I'm getting different answers from various websites regarding the requirements for entry.

Is this going to be an issue...???

Answers are inconsistent at best it seems, especially if travelling from SXM to neighboring islands. You will probably be OK but if in doubt, renew. There are many Canadian members here on TTOL so hopefully they can provide a more definitive answer.

This was a lengthy conversation on another travel site. A member of that site who works for a tourist board in Canada (I'm sorry, but I don't remember the exact title of her position), posted a document there that states, among other things, "a passport that is valid upon entry and for the duration of the stay."

Entry Requirements

Passports must be valid on date of entry. Passport must be valid at time of return to USA - I would believe it is the same for Canada.

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Customs requirements

Customs

Arriving at PJIA won't be an issue as your passport just needs to be valid for the duration of your stay. The only issue would be if you were on the french side and took the ferry to anguilla and tried to return to the french side as they require your passport to be valid for at least 6 months.

See this long discussion regarding validity for SXM and other Caribbean islands. As far as Canada when returning, that part I don't know.

I am sure you will be OK with a 7 month expiry date for your passport. We usually renew our Canadian passports 6 months before they expire. You could also check with your airline. Have a great trip. We will be there mid January.

The following is taken from the Canadian government website on travel:

Canadians must present a passport to visit Saint Martin, which must be valid for at least three months beyond the date of expected departure from that country. Prior to travelling, ask your transportation company about its requirements related to passport validity, which may be more stringent than the country's entry rules.

Happy travels.

This is why I said that if in doubt, best to renew as there are too many hoops to jump through with the lack of consistency in how this all works.

No problem with those dates.You are required to have an expiry date 3 months after your return date to insure you will still be legal should something unexpected happen to delay your scheduled departure.You will have lots of time to renew after you come home again. Enjoy your trip!

Our passports were expiring 3 months after our return in January of 2015. We had no problems even doing a day trip to Anguilla, however our friends that have a place in Anguilla had to have a 6 month window.

Thanks All... Judging by the answers left here, it's not going to be a problem...

The government website may give certain ctiteria but one person working for the airline or someone from security who is paid minimum wage can apply their own interpretation. Better safe than sorry.

While I will agree with the intent of your post, I don't think the amount of pay has anything to do with making a wrong decision.