Foreign travel advice
ImportantCOVID-19 Travel
Under current UK COVID-19 restrictions, you must stay at home. You must not travel, including abroad, unless you have a legally permitted reason to do so. It is illegal to travel abroad for holidays and other leisure purposes.
If you intend to travel to the UK from abroad, including UK nationals returning home, you must provide evidence of a negative COVID-19 test result taken up to 3 days before departure. If you do not comply (and you do not have a valid exemption) your airline or carrier may refuse you boarding and/or you may be fined on arrival.
Before you return to the UK you must provide your journey and contact details. You must self-isolate when you enter the UK from any foreign country except Ireland, unless you have a valid exemption.
From 15 February, when you enter England from abroad (except Ireland), you must follow the new requirements for quarantining and taking additional COVID-19 tests. For those travelling from a country on the banned travel list you will be required to quarantine in a hotel. Different rules apply for arrivals into England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
If you are legally permitted to travel abroad, check our advice on your country of destination. Some other countries have closed borders, and may further restrict movement or bring in new rules including testing requirements with little warning.
Updated information on entry restrictions to St Martin and St Barthélemy (‘Summary’ page)
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advises against all but essential travel to:
- the whole of St Martin based on the current assessment of COVID-19 risks.
If you are arriving in the UK from St Martin, you need to self-isolate. If you are arriving in the UK from St Barthélemy on or after 4am on 18 January you will need to self-isolate on your arrival, unless you have a valid exemption. Check the latest guidance for England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales
Travel is subject to entry restrictions
- Travellers have to produce a negative result of a PCR test carried out less than 72 hours before arrival. Arrivals may also be required to self-isolate for seven days, before taking another PCR test
- Entry into St Martin & St Barthélemy is restricted at present. Please see the local Prefecture’s website for further information
- Travellers may need to provide a self-certified document affirming that they have no COVID symptoms and that to their knowledge they have not been in contact with any person confirmed positive within the last 14 days
- These entry requirements are subject to change. For further information on the entry restrictions in place for French Overseas Territories, please see the French government’s website before travelling
Preparing for your return journey to the UK
If you’re returning to the UK from overseas, you will need to:
- provide your journey and contact details before you travel
Access to St Martin and St Barthélemy is subject to restrictions. See Entry requirements
St Martin and St Barthélemy are French overseas territories. St Martin is an Outermost Region of the European Union. Consular support is not available from the British government in St Martin or St Barthélemy. However, the British Embassy in Paris, France can provide consular support to British nationals.
Most visits to the French Caribbean are trouble-free. Crime levels are low, but you should take sensible precautions. See Crime
The island of St Martin was severely affected by the passage of Hurricanes Irma and Maria in September 2017. Many buildings were destroyed and infrastructure damaged. Reconstruction has begun, but due to the size of the devastation, the effects are still noticeable. The tourism sector was severely affected and room capacity may be reduced; it’s advisable to make prior reservations.
The hurricane season in St Martin and St Barthélemy normally runs from June to November. You should monitor local and international weather updates from the US National Hurricane Centre. See Natural disasters
UK health authorities have classified St Martin and St Barthélemy as having a risk of Zika virus transmission. For more information and advice, visit the National Travel Health Network and Centre website.
Although there’s no recent history of terrorism in St Martin or St Barthélemy, attacks can’t be ruled out. See Terrorism
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/st-martin-and-st-barthelemy