St. Barts - Facts

St. Barts FAQs

St. Barts is part of the French Antilles, which also includes Martinique, Guadeloupe, St. Martin and French Guiana. On the whole, they all share the same clearance procedures, however, yachts must still complete outward and inward clearance when moving from one to another.

Pre-Arrival Boat: There are 2 online clearance forms to complete prior to arrival in St. Barts. The new Customs clearance form, and a form for the port of Gustavia. See Clearance for details.
Pre-Arrival Crew: A great number of countries do not need a visa. See Immigration for details.
Where can I enter? Gustavia is the only port of entry on St. Barts.
Are fees high to enter by yacht? Just 3 – 5 Euro admin. charge if using a clearance computer on land. There are anchoring fees – see Fees for details.
What security concerns should I know about? St. Barts is a safe island. There is only the very occasional dinghy theft reported. See Security for more info.

St. Barts Facts for Sailors

• Saint Barthélemy, commonly known as St Barts, is located in the northern group of the Leeward Islands, in the West Indies.
• The island lies about 35 kilometres (22 mi) south-east of the Dutch islands of Sint Maarten and north-east of Saba, Sint Eustatius and the independent country of Saint Kitts and Nevis.
• The island has a population of just under 10,000.
• French is the official language
• Official currency is the Euro.
• The island is linked administratively to St Martin and both are now an Outermost Regions (OMR) of France and, therefore, part of the European Union.
• The picturesque harbor of Gustavia is a favorite port of call for cruising sailors who come here to provision their boats with duty-free goods.
• Only basic repair facilities are available. For other supplies see the Yachting Essentials section.