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Apostille and criminal record certificates for Curaçao: country guide (Venezuela, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador)

September 6, 2026 · Migrating Documents

What exactly Curaçao asks for

• Birth certificate issued no more than 1 year ago, apostilled (or legalized, if your country is not in the Hague Convention). EU countries are exempt from the apostille.
• Certificate of good conduct / criminal record no more than 3 months old, from the last place you lived, for everyone aged 18 or over.
• If applicable: apostilled marriage certificate, and for minors the notarized declaration of the parent staying behind, also apostilled.

Curaçao is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which is in the Hague Apostille Convention: an apostille from your country is sufficient, with no additional consular legalization. Documents in Spanish have been accepted in practice for applications filed in Spanish; if a translation is demanded, it must be by a sworn translator. Ask before paying for one.

The right order (to avoid repeating procedures)

1. First the birth certificate: it is valid for a year, which gives you room.
2. Then the rest of the file (contract, employer declarations, insurance).
3. Last, the criminal record certificate: it is only valid 3 months, and many request it too early and have to repeat it.

Venezuela

• Criminal record: requested from the Ministry of Interior, Justice and Peace through its online system; the certificate is issued as a PDF. It is usually valid 90 days abroad, matching the 3 months Curaçao requires.
• Apostille: through the MPPRE's Electronic Legalization and Apostille System (SLAE) at legalizacionve.mppre.gob.ve. Registration and access open by day according to the last digit of your ID; the electronic apostille arrives as a PDF by email, within a period the ministry itself estimates at up to 10 days.
• Birth certificate: a recent certified copy from the civil registry (SAREN / municipal council), then apostille in the same SLAE.
• If you are already abroad, Venezuelan consulates process criminal records, but the timelines are long: start now.

Colombia

• Judicial record: issued by the National Police and apostillable online directly from the Foreign Ministry: at tramites.cancilleria.gov.co choose "Electronic documents with digital signature – Certificate of Judicial Records – National Police", state migratory purposes, pay COP 36,000 (PSE or card) and the apostille arrives by email in about 2 business days.
• Civil birth registration: copy from the Registraduría and online apostille on the same portal.
• Source: Colombian Foreign Ministry.

Dominican Republic

• Certificate of no criminal record: issued by the Attorney General's Office (Procuraduría). Note: the version generated online cannot be apostilled; for use abroad you must request it in person at a Procuraduría office.
• Apostille: at MIREX (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), also with an online request through servicios360.mirex.gob.do.
• Birth certificate: extract or legalized certificate from the Junta Central Electoral (JCE), then apostille at MIREX.
• Useful border fact: Dominicans holding a valid multiple-entry Schengen, US or Canadian visa do not need a separate visa for Curaçao.

Ecuador

• Criminal record certificate: free and online on the Ministry of the Interior portal; downloaded in minutes.
• Apostille: at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility (electronic apostille) or at an Ecuadorian consulate if you are already abroad. Source: Ecuadorian Foreign Ministry.
• Birth certificate: electronic certificate from the Civil Registry and apostille likewise.

Mistakes we see repeated

• Requesting the criminal record first and having it expire before filing.
• Arriving in Curaçao without the apostilled birth certificate and discovering it must be requested from abroad with international shipping.
• Apostilling a plain copy instead of the recent official document.
• Paying a "fixer" for something that is free or almost free (Ecuador, Colombia): the scam warning signs are in this article.

Sources: Toelatingsorganisatie requirements (immigrationcur.org); official portals of MPPRE (Venezuela), Cancillería (Colombia), MIREX and Procuraduría (Dominican Republic), Ministry of the Interior and Foreign Ministry (Ecuador), consulted in September 2026. Costs and timelines change: confirm on the official portal before paying.

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