St. Maarten Private Eye

Thank you for clarifying this.

Can anybody else confirm that "It is a formality and not impossible nor difficult to obtain"?

I have never before heard anybody say that anything that comes to adminstration is easily obtained in St Maarten.

I am not so sure. If Immigration Police Commissioner Ademan Dorian really welcomed these people he could have said this in the Daily Herald, rather than just, I quote: "things will be done by the book".

He could have taken the opportunity to explain what these people should do (instead of just buying a return ticket) and personally guarantee that obtaining the residency permit will be a hassle free experience.

Somehow I doubt it...

Before 2003 non French EU members needed a Carte de Sejour. It was a formality, since a EU member has a right to live in France if they wish to.

However, in reality in St Martin, it was a nightmare to obtain one. Stand in line from 7 am to get a form, stand in another line for hours until noon until they close in order to perhaps get to hand in the forms, etc, etc...

"Easy to obtain" for me means: go online, fill out a form with all the required info, get a time and a date for an interview together with a list of what required documents I need to bring. Go for the interview, get approved or denied. End of story.

When I search the net for "residence permit netherlands antilles" I get to this page:

http://www.netherlands-embassy.org/article.asp?articleref=AR00000400EN

See it for yourself. Not even a phone number in St Maarten...

Immigration Police Commissioner Ademan Dorian, think out of the box!