Obtaining Dutch Citizenship on St Maarten

Today's St Maarten Daily Herald has an article about obtaining Dutch
citizenship on St Maarten.

http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/d...atural103.html

A few parts of the story that I found interesting:
===========
"before an applicant submits his or her request for naturalisation he or she
must first be interviewed by the Dutch Citizenship Committee that has been
established by the Lt. Governor. “The sole purpose of the interview is to
determine if the applicant has sufficient knowledge of the St. Maarten,
Antillean and Dutch constitutions and that he or she has sufficiently
integrated himself or herself within the St. Maarten community"

"The interviews will be conducted in the English language and the applicant
should be able to conduct a conversation in this language.

“A negative outcome can be the result when the applicant is not versed in
the English language and lacks sufficient knowledge of the general and
constitutional affairs of St. Maarten, the Netherlands Antilles and the
Dutch Kingdom.”
=============
Apparently there is a possibility for the interview to be conducted in
Dutch, but it seems that English is still a requirement!

Strange they do not need to speak Dutch. What's that about?? If you
are converting to being a Dutch National how can you not without
speaking the language? Most documents in the Dutch Antilles are in
Dutch (ABC Islands anyway, and the education is all in Dutch at this
time.

Ann
www.bonairecaribbean.com

"R J Carpenter" wrote in message ...
Today's St Maarten Daily Herald has an article about obtaining Dutch
citizenship on St Maarten.

http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/d...atural103.html

A few parts of the story that I found interesting:
===========
"before an applicant submits his or her request for naturalisation he or she
must first be interviewed by the Dutch Citizenship Committee that has been
established by the Lt. Governor. ?The sole purpose of the interview is to
determine if the applicant has sufficient knowledge of the St. Maarten,
Antillean and Dutch constitutions and that he or she has sufficiently
integrated himself or herself within the St. Maarten community"

"The interviews will be conducted in the English language and the applicant
should be able to conduct a conversation in this language.

?A negative outcome can be the result when the applicant is not versed in
the English language and lacks sufficient knowledge of the general and
constitutional affairs of St. Maarten, the Netherlands Antilles and the
Dutch Kingdom.?
=============
Apparently there is a possibility for the interview to be conducted in
Dutch, but it seems that English is still a requirement!

"JF" wrote in message
m...
Strange they do not need to speak Dutch. What's that about?? If you
are converting to being a Dutch National how can you not without
speaking the language? Most documents in the Dutch Antilles are in
Dutch (ABC Islands anyway, and the education is all in Dutch at this
time.

Ann
www.bonairecaribbean.com

I thought it weird, which is why I posted the message. I understand that
public education on St Maarten is "in Dutch", but I gather that most locals
speak English at home. The main (commercial) Dutch-side radio station is in
English.

Saba is even more English-oriented.

It is clear that English is the native language of many of the Blacks on the
French side of St Martin - essentially every sign in Orleans (a non-tourist
town) is in English. This applies to the small Catholic church and LARGE
Methodist church.

So English is the common language between locals of the two halves of the
island, a situation you don't have on the ABC islands.

"R J Carpenter" wrote in message


Strange they do not need to speak Dutch. What's that about?? If you
are converting to being a Dutch National how can you not without
speaking the language? Most documents in the Dutch Antilles are in
Dutch (ABC Islands anyway, and the education is all in Dutch at this
time.

So English is the common language between locals of the two halves of the
island, a situation you don't have on the ABC islands.

Is this not a Dutch citizenship, much like the British citizenship
common in the colonies, WITHOUT the right of abode in the Netherlands?
Its citizenship in the KINGDOM of the Netherlands, which is made up
of the mainland and the two Carribbean political entities, not
citizenship in the Netherlands proper, and with it Euro-zone wide
rights, including the right to live anywhere you want in Europe.

In effect, this is St. Maarten citizenship. Which is why the exam
would be in English and be about the cutlure of the Antilles, the
KINGDOM constitution, and the Antillian government.

This would be a program for immigrants from other nearby islands, or
from the French side of that island, wanting to normalize their
relationship with the government.

"R J Carpenter" wrote in message


Strange they do not need to speak Dutch. What's that about?? If you
are converting to being a Dutch National how can you not without
speaking the language? Most documents in the Dutch Antilles are in
Dutch (ABC Islands anyway, and the education is all in Dutch at this
time.

So English is the common language between locals of the two halves of the
island, a situation you don't have on the ABC islands.

Is this not a Dutch citizenship, much like the British citizenship
common in the colonies, WITHOUT the right of abode in the Netherlands?
Its citizenship in the KINGDOM of the Netherlands, which is made up
of the mainland and the two Carribbean political entities, not
citizenship in the Netherlands proper, and with it Euro-zone wide
rights, including the right to live anywhere you want in Europe.

In effect, this is St. Maarten citizenship. Which is why the exam
would be in English and be about the cutlure of the Antilles, the
KINGDOM constitution, and the Antillian government.

This would be a program for immigrants from other nearby islands, or
from the French side of that island, wanting to normalize their
relationship with the government.

(SP Cook) wrote in message om...


Is this not a Dutch citizenship, much like the British citizenship
common in the colonies, WITHOUT the right of abode in the Netherlands?


Since 21 May 2002, people from the British Overseas Territories have
generally held full British citizenship. Prior to this, only Falkland
Islanders and Gibraltarians were British citizens.

Jeremy