Hello to all / Salut a tous

I will shortly be moving to St Martin - the French side, as I am on an EU passport. I have been advised that I need to register soon after arrival - can anyone please advise some more information on where and what is involved? I assume it will be in Marigot.

Any assistance welcome!

Thank you / merci

Warwick

Normally in any other part of France it would at the Mairie, but since St Martin is not a "commune de France" anymore but a "Collectivite Territoriale" it will be at the "hotel de la Colectivite" which is actually the same building as the former Mairie in Marigot. Otherwise, if they do not do registration (never know here!..) it would be at the Prefecture (next to the Fort st Louis)... registration are usually required for taxation purpose on the territory of the Comunne and here obviously on the one of the collectivity.

Kind Regards,
Philippe



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Salut Philippe,

Merci pour ton aide. OK I will hire a car when I get there and go in search - basically, as far as I know, as an EU citizen I need to go and register on arrival (within a couple of weeks or so) as I intend to live and possibly work on the island. All a little bit last minute, but that is due to factors out of my control
A bientot!

Warwick

Thabba Khady,
What is a basic difference/differences of "Collectivite Territoriale" compared to previous "commune de France"?

Was the change in status of St.Martin brought about by the change in status of St.Maarten?

Kind rgds
jaybee

The change of Status on the French side wasn't brought abut by the change of Status on the Dutch side. The French side long time ambition of change of Status started about 20 years ago and were motivated and brought up first by a majority of people coming from France mainland and who establsihed themselves on the island. Of course this couldn't have happened without the obvious support of the local population, but on the otherhand people have to realise that on the Frenchside the local population is not anymore the "majority" and basically you have more French Metropolitan living than real local St Martiners...Also,with the change of Status the Frenchside achieved what the Dutchside still didn't.
The basic dfference of "Collectivity Territorial" and "Commune de France" are first constitutional... Under "Commune de France" St Martin depended from Guadeloupe which a Departement d'outre Mer (Oversee County) and each Departement de France (County) is divided in Commune (Town). The Collectivity Territoriale is directly linked to the State and have a semi autonomy (not independance...). The main autonomy issue is about taxes... Guadeloupe or France do not decide anymore of the local taxes, and the collected money stay in St Martin coffers.... Regarding income taxes, being a resident of St Martin Collectivite give some advantages to compare with not being a resident of the collectivity. There is a 40% abatement... on the otherhand some risk are involve as I suspect that the property taxes may go up like a rocket very soon whatever our local governement is promising. We are still undertemined about our EU status, because at the time of our separation with Guadeloupe and assention to our new status, it was forgotten to notify officially the EU counsil in time.. since then no subvention are coming (they wer coming before through guadeloupe...) and few other things have to be renegociated...
To say the truth, personally I was against this new Status... When we live in a time where country are coming together to unite and generate a better economy, I found it foolish that a little rock want to go on his own... Same goes for the Dutch side. It is my opinion that they should go for more supervision and choose to go fro Commune de Holland the same as what Saba choose and what the French side was previously in regard to France

Kind Regards,
Philippe



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Thanks a lot for this comprehensive clarification.
If you don't mind I would ask one more question.
Does the the new status of "collectivity" affect the rights of newcomers from France to stay on the island as long as they wish? A what about others from EU?

I understand that when St Martin was "commune de France", it was just part of France and people could come and stay without asking, as they do when they move from, for example, Lyon to Bordeaux... But now? Are there new restrictions?

kind rgds
jaybee

No it doesn't affect the right of French Newcomers to move and stay on the island since the Collectivity Territoriale is directly linked to the State. It is still fully part of France under the article 14 of the French Constitution. It doesn't affect either the rights of EU citizen.

Kind Regards,
Philippe



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I have spoken to the Hotel de la Collectivite today and told by several people the same thing. As a holder of an EU passport I do not even need to register I can simply just come and live on the island (French side at least) - in the words of the last official I spoke to "deposez vos valises et profitez de St Martin"
All seems just too easy - I'm not complaining though!