SXM Blog

Pets Entering St Maarten From Any Country

10/4/2014 - By St Martin Reservation Center

The Dutch authorities have announced that the importing
animals policy has changed and it is effective as of Oct 04th, 14, 2014!


It is valid for both sides of the island since the international airport is
located on the Dutch side of the island.

This policy applies to any guests who may travel to St Martin with their pets.

Steps in acquiring an animal permit and what to do with it on arrival in St. Maarten

It is important that an animal’s owner ensure that it receives optimal veterinary health care. This includes visits to a veterinary health care professional and a vaccination program as prescribed for your animal.

When planning to come to St. Maarten please check with your airline or sea carrier and observe the following;

1. Obtain an application for import of animals/birds form from the Inspection Department TEZVT – LVV (Landbouw, Veeteelt en Visserij) at lvv@sintmaartengov.org. The conditions of import for your animal should be attached. If they are not specific to the animal species you wish to import, please email us for additional import information. This must be done no more than fourteen (14) days and no later than five (5) days prior to your expected arrival date in St. Maarten.

2. The completed application along with the health certificate from the national veterinary authority of the exporting country can be emailed to the abovementioned address. If you are using the pet passport, the following must be included with your application;

   1. Front cover of the passport

   2. Identification pages of the passport

   3. Vaccination pages of the passport

   4. Clinical Examination pages of the passport

   5.  

3. All documents MUST be emailed as scanned pdf files. If the applicant is living in St. Maarten/St. Martin and wishes to hand deliver the documents, this can be done at our offices located at;

Inspection Department TEZVT - Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries,

Cannegieter Street nr. 23A,

Philipsburg.

St. Maarten.

Tel: +1 (721) 542-5641, +1 (721) 542-9887 (O) / +1 (721) 520-7213 (M)

Fax: +1 (721) 542-3800

 

1. The application process takes about five (5) working days and a response will be sent you within or shortly after that time.

2. On arrival in St. Maarten, present the import permit to the Customs or Quarantine officer on duty.

3. St. Maarten does not quarantine pets but within the first 24 hours of arrival the animal(s) must be taken to one of the licensed veterinary clinics on St. Maarten, the Dutch side. The veterinary report from that visit will be emailed to our offices.

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CONDITIONS OF IMPORT FOR ANIMALS INTO ST. MAARTEN

1. The animal(s) – [dog(s)/cat(s)] is/are thirteen (13) weeks of age or older.

2. The animal(s) must be accompanied by a valid official International Health Certificate issued by a certified (Accredited) veterinarian and endorsed by the Official Government (Federal) Veterinarian. The International Health Certificate must be valid at the time of entry into St. Maarten.

3. The Health Certificate must attest that; a. It/they has/have been vaccinated against Rabies with an inactivated vaccine at least 30 days but no longer than 12 months to 36 months (as registered by the manufacturer) prior to departure.

b. The dog(s) has/have adequate levels of immunity conferred by being actively immunized against the following diseases: Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvovirus, Leptospirosis, Adenovirus and Coronavirus.

c. The cat(s) has/have adequate levels conferred by being actively immunized against the following diseases: Feline Leukemia, Feline Rhinotracheitis, Feline Calcivirus, Feline Panleukopenia and Feline Pneumonitis.

d. The animal(s) is/are free of internal parasites as determined by a negative fecal flotation test and should be treated within 14 days prior to departure with a registered medicine as instructed by the manufacturer. (Mention the date, time and the product used on the health certificate).

e. The animal(s) is /are free from external parasites particularly Amblyomma sp. and Boophilus sp. The animal(s) should be treated with a registered insecticide 24 to 48 hours prior to departure.

f. The animal(s) is/are free from observable cutaneous diseases.

g. The dog(s)/cat(s)/ferret(s) must be transported in (a) suitable kennel(s) according to IATA regulations.

4. The animal(s) has/have to be registered electronically with an ISO (International Standards Organization) microchip. The number must be mentioned on the health certificate.

5. The importation of dogs and cats from South and Central America (excl. Suriname) is not permitted.

6. The importation of a pit-bull terrier type dog is not permitted.

7. The animals must be presented to a licensed Veterinarian within twenty four (24) hours of arrival in St. Maarten. A copy of the Veterinary Health Certificate(s) and this Permit must be submitted to the Inspections Department TEZVT – LVV, St. Maarten.

8. THIS PERMIT IS VALID FOR ONE (1) ENTRY WITHIN ONE (1) MONTH OF THE DATE OF ISSUE.

9. ALL CERTIFICATES MUST BE IN DUTCH, ENGLISH OR ACCOMPANIED BY AN OFFICIAL TRANSLATION.

 

Inspection Department TEZVT – Form 3(C

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The Inspection Department TEZVT – LVV St. Maarten.

FOR OFFICE USE

Application Approved: Yes No

Tamarinde Steeg nr. 16,

Permit number _________________

Philipsburg.

St. Maarten.

Date ___________

APPLICATION FOR PERMISSION TO IMPORT ANIMALS

Issued by ______________________

(NB. PLEASE COMPLETE ALL SECTIONS OF THE APPLICATION IN FULL)

I/We _________________________________________________ of ______________________

______________________________________________________________________________

hereby apply for permission to import into St. Maarten, the following animal(s)from _________ Quantity

Animal Type

Color

Identification #

Origin (Geographical Area)

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CONDITIONS OF IMPORT FOR BIRDS INTO ST. MAARTEN

1. The import of birds is only permitted from countries that are officially free from any outbreaks of notifiable Avian Influenza (LPAI and HPAI).

2. In cases where the exporting country had been affected by the Low Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (LPAI) virus, an accompanying certificate must be issued by the Chief Veterinary Officer of the exporting country and must state that the bird(s) is/are from an Avian Influenza free territory of the country.

3. The birds have to be accompanied by an official International Health Certificate, issued by a certified (Accredited) veterinarian and endorsed by the Official Government (Federal) Veterinarian. The international health certificate must be valid at the time of entry of the birds into St. Maarten.

4. In the health certificate the following has to be stated by the veterinarian:

• That the country or state of origin of the birds is officially free of notifiable Avian Influenza (AI), Newcastle Disease (NCD) and other notifiable avian diseases.

• That the birds have been inspected on the day of shipment by the veterinarian and showed no clinical signs of any communicable disease.

• That the birds have been under veterinary supervision 3 weeks prior to shipment and have shown no signs of any communicable disease during that period.

• That the Psittaciformes (parrots, macaws, etc.) originate from a facility that has been free of psittacosis for the past 12 months.

• That the bird(s) has/have been transported in new, unused containers.

• That the bird(s) have been identified individually by a ring or chip.

5. The Inspection Department TEZVT – Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries has to be notified by the freight forwarders for all bird or poultry importations in order to inspect the shipments on site before giving clearance.

6. Birds that do not comply with the aforementioned certification requirements or show any symptoms of any communicable disease will be euthanized immediately.

7. A copy of the Veterinary Health Certificate(s) and this Permit must be submitted to the Inspections Department TEZVT – LVV, St. Maarten.

8. THIS PERMIT IS VALID FOR ONE (1) ENTRY WITHIN ONE (1) MONTH OF THE DATE OF ISSUE.

9. ALL CERTIFICATES MUST BE IN DUTCH, ENGLISH OR ACCOMPANIED BY AN OFFICIAL TRANSLATION.

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The Inspection Department – TEZVT – LVV.

FOR OFFICE USE

Application Approved: Yes No

Tamarinde Steeg nr. 16,

Permit number _________________

Philipsburg.

St. Maarten.

APPLICATION FOR PERMISSION TO IMPORT BIRDS

Date ___________

Issued by ______________________

(NB. PLEASE COMPLETE ALL SECTIONS OF THE APPLICATION IN FULL)

I/We _________________________________________________ of ______________________

______________________________________________________________________________

hereby apply for permission to import into St. Maarten, the following bird(s)from ___________ Quantity

Bird(s) incl. Scientific names

Identification #s.

Origin (Geographical Area)

lvv@sintmaartengov.org

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