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Arrival cardSint Maarten requires every traveller arriving by air or sea to complete a mandatory digital form: the ED Card (Electronic Embarkation/Disembarkation Card). This document is not a visa — European Union nationals, for example, benefit from a visa exemption for short stays — but it is the indispensable administrative formality without which no passage through immigration at Princess Juliana Airport (SXM) is possible. Delivered as a PDF with a QR Code, the ED Card has definitively replaced the paper forms previously distributed on board aircraft.
01 · The essentials
The ED Card is not a visa but a mandatory digital immigration form for every traveller arriving in Sint Maarten, regardless of nationality or final destination on the island.
National identity cards are systematically refused at Princess Juliana Airport (SXM): only a valid passport is accepted at immigration, including for European nationals.
The official portal only accepts ED Card applications within the 7 days preceding the arrival date — this constraint applies to all travellers without exception.
The Sint Maarten Electronic Embarkation/Disembarkation Card, commonly known as the ED Card, is a digital pre-registration form that is a prerequisite for entry into Sint Maarten. Unlike an electronic visa (e-Visa), this document is not a residence permit: it is closer to a dematerialised customs and immigration declaration, made mandatory for all arrivals by air or sea.
The ED Card was introduced to permanently replace the paper forms previously handed out by cabin crew on aircraft. Upon arrival, immigration officers scan the QR Code generated by this document to validate entry into the Dutch Caribbean territory. Without this QR Code in hand, passage through controls is blocked — regardless of your nationality.
For European nationals, the ED Card is the only administrative formality required before travelling: they are not subject to a visa requirement for short tourist stays in Sint Maarten. The ED Card therefore replaces the old paper form, not a visa.
02 · Geography & particularities
The question comes up systematically among French travellers heading to Saint-Martin (French side): why fill in a Dutch immigration form when my final destination is on French territory? The answer lies in the unique geography of this shared island.
The island has been divided into two distinct political entities since the Treaty of Concordia of 1648: the northern part falls under France (Saint-Martin, an overseas collectivity), while the southern part belongs to the Kingdom of the Netherlands (Sint Maarten, an autonomous constituent country). This partition has no physical border marked on the ground — a symbolic sign simply marks the passage from one territory to the other, and movement between the two sides is entirely free.
However, the island's only international airport — Princess Juliana Airport (SXM) — is located in the Dutch zone. As a result, every traveller who disembarks from an aircraft or docks at the port of Sint Maarten legally enters Dutch territory, even if their hotel is located a few kilometres away in Marigot or Baie Orientale. They must therefore meet Dutch immigration requirements — and complete the ED Card.
Once out of the airport after the check, travellers can freely make their way to the French side with no further verification.
Princess Juliana Airport is located in Sint Maarten territory (Netherlands). Every traveller who lands there legally enters Dutch jurisdiction, regardless of their final destination on the island.
Once out of the airport, no physical border or check is imposed between the Dutch and French sides of the island. You cross from one country to the other freely.
If you are staying on the French side (Marigot, Baie Orientale), you still need to complete the ED Card for entry into the Netherlands. The form accepts addresses from both sides of the island.
Only the small regional airport of Grand Case (French side, accessible from Guadeloupe) or arrival by sea from a French island allow you to avoid the Dutch formality — but connections there are far more limited.
This is one of the most frequent and costly mistakes made by French travellers: attempting to board with only their national identity card (CNI), thinking that Saint-Martin is French territory. The CNI is systematically refused at Princess Juliana Airport, which is located outside the Schengen area. Dutch authorities strictly require a valid passport for all international passengers, including European Union nationals. As a result, many travellers are denied boarding in France or stopped on arrival at SXM.
The CNI is only valid for entry into the French side if you arrive exclusively via the small Grand Case airport (through Guadeloupe) or by ferry from another French island — which concerns an extremely small minority of travellers.
03 · Who is concerned
The obligation to complete the ED Card applies universally to all persons landing at Princess Juliana Airport or disembarking at a port of Sint Maarten, with a few exceptions.
Whether you are staying on the Dutch or French side, travelling alone or with family, the ED Card is mandatory. Every traveller — including infants and young children — must have their own form with their own QR Code. There is no group declaration allowing children to be included under a parent's form.
Passengers transiting through SXM to reach Saint-Barthélemy, Anguilla or other neighbouring islands are also concerned, even if they do not leave the airport area. The airport considers that any disembarking passenger falls under its jurisdiction. The procedure consists of completing the ED Card by selecting the 'Transit' option and indicating the final destination. Without a QR Code, blockage before the security gates is common — a particularly acute source of stress during short connections.
For Sint Maarten residents returning to the island, the procedure is in principle optional. In practice, it is advisable to check the applicable rules at the time of travel.
Connections from SXM to Saint-Barthélemy or Anguilla are common. The form must explicitly mention the final destination — for example 'Transit to St Barths' or 'Transit to Anguilla' in the accommodation section. This detail is necessary so that immigration officers understand the nature of your passage and process your file within the allotted time, especially during tight connections.
If your hotel or rental is on the French side (Marigot, Grand Case, Baie Orientale), you must still complete the 'accommodation address' field on the ED Card with the actual address of your lodging, even if it is on French territory. The official portal is designed to accept both sides of the island without technical difficulty.
04 · The procedure
The ED Card application process is entirely paperless. The form is completed online, and the final document is sent by email in PDF format. Here is what you need to know before you start.
Before filling in the form, gather the following:
Sint Maarten's official system imposes a strict time constraint: ED Card applications can only be submitted within the 7 days preceding your arrival. It is not possible to submit the application several weeks or months in advance on the government portal.
Have your valid passport (not an identity card), your accommodation booking confirmation and your return or onward ticket to hand. These items will be needed to complete the form.
Official submission is only possible within the 7 days preceding your arrival date. If you use a service provider, your details can be transmitted well in advance — the provider submits the file at the exact moment the government server opens the slot for your flight.
Fill in all the required information: personal details, passport number, arrival date, flight number, accommodation address (Dutch or French side), and purpose of stay (tourism, transit, etc.). For transit passengers, explicitly state your final destination.
Every member of your group — adults, children, infants — must have their own application. There is no collective family form. Group applications together to avoid re-entering the same flight information multiple times.
Once the application is processed, you receive the ED Card as a PDF by email. This document contains the QR Code that will be scanned by immigration officers on arrival.
Although the mobile version is theoretically accepted, the optical readers used by immigration officers at SXM are optimised for paper format. Printing is strongly recommended to speed up passage and avoid any incident caused by a flat battery or poor connectivity.
On arrival at SXM, present your printed (or mobile) ED Card together with your valid passport to the immigration officer, before baggage collection or access to the transit zone.
05 · Validity & cost
Unlike a standard visa, the Sint Maarten ED Card is not subject to government-imposed pricing — the document has historically been free on the official portal. Service fees may apply depending on the channel used to complete the process.
The authorised length of stay varies according to the traveller's nationality:
The ED Card is valid for a single entry corresponding to the declared flight number. It cannot be reused for another flight or a different arrival date.
Regarding receipt of the document: once the application is processed, the ED Card is sent as a PDF by email. It is strongly advised to print it before going to the airport. The optical reading devices used by immigration officers at SXM are optimised for paper format, which speeds up processing and reduces the risk of malfunction when scanning the QR Code. Also keep a digital version in your inbox or on your phone, in case the printed document is lost.
06 · Before you leave
Beyond the ED Card, a trip to Sint Maarten requires a few additional checks. Here are the key points to verify before checking in, to avoid any denied boarding or immigration hold-up.
Denied boardings linked to the absence of an ED Card or the presentation of a national identity card instead of a passport are among the most frequent incidents on flights to SXM. These situations occur even among experienced travellers who are unaware of the island's geographical particularity. Check your complete file — passport, ED Card, return ticket — well before arriving at the departure airport.
The Sint Maarten ED Card is not a visa: nationals of the European Union and many other nationalities are exempt from visa requirements for short stays. It is a mandatory digital immigration form, without which no passage through Princess Juliana Airport is possible. It must be submitted within the 7 days preceding arrival, is obtained free of charge on the official portal and is delivered as a PDF with a QR Code. Every traveller — including children and infants — must have their own individual form. The French national identity card (and any identity document other than a passport) is systematically refused at SXM, even for travellers subsequently heading to the French part of the island.
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