Visas

The French West Indies consists of the islands of Martinique, Guadeloupe, St. Martin (the French side), and St. Barthelemy. These islands are well developed. In St. Martin and St. Barthelemy, English is widely spoken and U.S. currency is accepted.
Read the Department of State Background Notes on France for additional information.

Valid passports are required for U.S. citizens entering the French West Indies. Visitors who arrive on a commercial air carrier with a round-trip ticket may enter for up to 90 days without a visa.
For further information, travelers can contact the Embassy of France.
4101 Reservoir Road, N.W., Washington, DC 20007
Tel: (202) 944.6000
or the nearest French consulate in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, New Orleans or San Francisco.
Visit the web site for the Embassy of France for the most current visa information.

See U.S. State Department Entry and Exit Requirements for more information pertaining to dual nationality and the prevention of international child abduction.
Please refer to U. S. Customs Information to learn more about customs regulations.

SAFETY AND SECURITY:
For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department's Internet web site, where the current Worldwide Caution Travel Warnings and Public Announcements can be found.

Up-to-date information regarding safety and security also can be obtained by calling the State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs, Overseas Citizens Services:
Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays)
8:00 am to 8:00 pm - Eastern Time
Tel: (888) 407.4747 toll free in the U.S.
Tel: (202) 501.4444 regular toll-line - for callers outside the U.S. and Canada.

The Department of State urges American citizens to take responsibility for their own personal security while traveling overseas. For general information about appropriate measures that travelers can take to protect themselves in an overseas environment, see the Department of State's pamphlet A Safe Trip Abroad.

Petty street crime, including purse snatching, occurs throughout the French West Indies. Visitors should take care whenever traveling to safeguard valuables and always lock hotel rooms and car doors.

The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to the local police and the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. If you are the victim of any crime while overseas, in addition to reporting to local police, please contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for assistance. The Embassy/Consulate staff can, for example, assist you to find appropriate medical care, contact family members or friends and explain how funds may be transferred. Although the investigation and prosecution of the crime is solely the responsibility of local authorities, consular officers can help you understand the local criminal justice process and find an attorney if needed.

See more information on Victims of Crime.

Good medical care is available throughout the French West Indies, however not all doctors speak or understand English. Hyperbaric chambers are available in Guadeloupe at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire in Abymes and in Martinique.

Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention's hotline for international travelers at:
Tel: (877) FYI-TRIP or (877) 394.8747
or via the CDC's Internet site.
For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad consult
the World Health Organization's (WHO) website.
Further health information for travelers is available here.

The Department of State strongly urges Americans to consult with their medical insurance company prior to traveling abroad to confirm whether their policy applies overseas and whether it will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation. Please see our information on medical insurance overseas.

While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning the French West Indies is provided for general reference only and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.

Driving in the French West Indies is on the right side of the road. Children under 12 are not legally allowed in the front seat. Seatbelt laws are strictly enforced. The roads in the French West Indies are the best in the Eastern Caribbean. Roads are well paved and well maintained. Main roads are well marked; secondary roads and tourist sites are adequately marked.
Excellent maps are available and local residents are helpful, especially if greeted in a friendly manner. Both Martinique and Guadeloupe have expressways.
Traffic safety is enforced by the police.
Night driving can be dangerous, especially in the mountains and on winding rural roads.
Public transportation in the form of taxis, vans and buses is relatively safe.
For specific information concerning French West Indies driver's permits, vehicle inspection, road tax and mandatory insurance, contact the
French National Tourist Organization

Please refer to U.S. State Department’s Road Safety page for more detailed information.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the Government of France as being in compliance with ICAO international aviation safety standards for oversight of the French West Indies air carrier operations. For more information, travelers may visit the FAA's internet web site.

In addition to being subject to all French laws affecting U.S. citizens, dual nationals also may be subject to other laws that impose special obligations on French citizens. Although France recognizes dual nationality, dual nationals are considered French citizens and are subject to French laws without regard to the other nationality. For additional information, visit the Consular Affairs home page on the Internet for information on dual nationality.

French customs authorities may enforce strict regulations concerning temporary importation into or export from the French West Indies of items such as firearms, medications, animals, etc.
For questions, travelers may wish to contact the Embassy of France or a French Consulate for specific information regarding customs requirements.
Also, please see the U.S. State Department’s information on customs regulations.

The French West Indies can be affected by hurricanes.
The hurricane season normally runs from June to the end of November, but there have been hurricanes in December during recent years.
General information about natural disaster preparedness is available via the Internet from the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

While in a foreign country, a U.S. citizen is subject to that country's laws and regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those in the United States and may not afford the protections available to the individual under U.S. law. Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offences. Persons violating French laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested or imprisoned. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in the French West Indies are severe and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. Under French law, no bail is offered for those arrested with illegal drugs in their possession and they can expect to wait several months before their case is heard. Detained persons are presumed guilty and must prove their innocence.

Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime, prosecutable in the United States.
Please see more information regarding Criminal Penalties.

For information on international adoption of children and international parental child abduction, see the State Department’s Overseas Citizens Services website regarding Children's Issues.

REGISTRATION / EMBASSY LOCATION:
Americans living or traveling in the French West Indies are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate through the State Department's travel registration website, and to obtain updated information on travel and security within the French West Indies.
Americans without Internet access may register directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.
By registering, American citizens make it easier for the Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of emergency.
The U.S. Consular Agency in Martinique is located at Hotel Valmeniere #615, Avenue des Arawaks, 97200 Fort de France.
Tel: (011) (596) 596 75 67 54
Fax (011) (596) 596 70 85 01
Email: hritchie@outremer.com
or usconsulaireagencemartinique@wanadoo.fr
Hours are Monday through Friday from 9:00am to 12:00pm
except French and U.S. holidays.

The nearest U.S. Embassy is located Bridgetown, Barbados in the First Caribbean International Bank Building on Broad Street.
Web: http://bridgetown.usembassy.gov
The Consular Section is open for American Citizens Services from:
8:30am to 11:30am and 1:00pm to 2:00pm, Monday-Friday,
except Barbados and U.S. holidays.

For after-hours service, American citizens may contact:
the U.S. Embassy in Bridgetown, Barbados by telephone.
Tel: (246) 436.4950