St. Eustatius

Proud and Confident

A dormant volcano reigns over the tiny Dutch Caribbean island of St. Eustatius. Towering at nearly 2,000 feet above sea level, The Quill dominates this island of 8.1-square miles, nicknamed Statia. Quill National Park has hiking trails along the ocean and around the volcano, which features a rainforest and many species of orchid. Surrounding the island are narrow beaches of volcanic sand. Offshore, St. Eustatius National Marine Park's dive sites range from coral reefs to shipwrecks.

Discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1493, the tiny island changed hands among 22 countries but has remained with the Dutch since they took over in 1816. During the 1700s, the capital town of Oranjestad, was the trading hub for slaves as well as cotton, sugar, and other commodities from Europe.

Stacia’s large crater is home to a tropical rainforest where orchids, bromeliads ferns and lianas are part of the flora. The Quill was designated as a National Park in 1997. Hikers get the opportunity to visit multiple vegetation zones, from dry forest to evergreen seasonal woodland. For the adventurous, you’ll need only to stop at the rim of the crater to catch your breath and enjoy the magnificent views before descending into the pit to explore the lush vegetation, including fruit and silk cotton trees.

Statia is just as popular for what lies below the sea as what lies above. It’s a diver’s dream with several ancient wrecks, submerged anchors, cannons, pristine corals, and a variety of colorful fish, rays and turtles.

Small hotels, inns, lodges, apartments and luxury villas, are your choices for accommodation. Restaurants are aplenty…and one can certainly join the locals and enjoy the favorite goat meat with rice and peas. A meal to die for!

Statia rightly boasts of being prime for a unique wedding. Look beyond the beach and the courthouse. Imagine the historic Fort Oranje built in 1636 or the ruins of “Honen Dalim Jewish Synogugue built in 1793. There’s also The Miriam C Smith Botanical Gardens. So, if you’re looking for a one-of-a-kind experience, look no further. Welcome to Statia. We’ve been waiting for you.

Marriage Requirements for St. Eustatius

The application and documents required are as follows:

Notice of intent to marry (betroth): If you plan to get married, you first need to register this intention. This is called notice of intent to marry (betroth). It is a means of giving official notice of your intention to get married. You submit a written request to the Census Office to get married with desired date, time and place. You need to do this at least three weeks (3) before the intended date of the wedding. The wedding must take place within one year of the notice of intent to marry.
Groom & Bride Must be at least 18 and require:
- A valid proof of identity (copy passport)
- A recent copy of your birth certificate (with the parent’s name)
- A recent proof of “Single” status.
- If previously married, a recent copy of the divorce certificate or a recent death certificate.
The witnesses: They must be at least 18. You may bring along your own witnesses if you so desire, however a copy of their valid passports must be submitted in advance. If the desire is to be married inside the Courthouse at the Government’s Guesthouse, two witnesses are needed. If the desire is to be married outside of the Government’s Guesthouse six witnesses are needed. If you do not have any witnesses of your own, you can request a witness.
Foreign documents: Documents from certain countries must be legalized or provided with an apostille stamp. Documents from abroad that are not written in Dutch, French, German or English must be translated into English by a sworn translator. These documents should not be older than 6 months.
More info: In the space of time between the date of notice of intent to marry (betroth) and Solemnization of marriage, a wait of two weeks has to be observed. For marriage dates, please don’t make wedding plans unless you have first contacted the Census Office.

To review all documents in advance or if any additional information is needed please contact the Census Office:

Customer Service desk via
Email: census.office@statiagov.com
Phone: +599 318 2027 (directly)

Three days before the wedding day the Census Office will need all the original documents, requests and information listed.

The ceremony can be performed in English, Dutch, Spanish or Papiamento. You can contact the census office from Monday to Friday from 7:30 – 15:30 (Open during lunch hour). Address:

Census Office
Kenip Road, Princess Garden,
St. Eustatius, Dutch Caribbean
Phone: +599 318 2497 (general)
Fax: +599 318 2963
E-mail: census.office@statiagov.com

Important Links for St. Eustatius

To learn more about St. Eustatius, please see the important links below:

Proud and Confident

Marriage Requirements for St. Eustatius

Important Links for St. Eustatius

Entry Requirements for St. Eustatius

How to Get to St. Eustatius

Places to Stay in St. Eustatius

Things To Do in St. Eustatius

Getting Around St. Eustatius

Events in St. Eustatius

Dining in St. Eustatius