Rib'e Lugá: registration closed on October 31, 2026 (what is left to do)
Registration for Rib'e Lugá, the programme to regularise undocumented people, closed on October 31, 2026. It had already been extended once, in August; on October 26 the Rib'e Lugá team confirmed to us in writing that this was the fixed deadline, and no new extension has been announced. If you registered in time, your application is still in process and here is what comes next; if you did not register, what changes for you is in Rib'e Lugá after October 31.
Who could register: three questions
- Were you in Curaçao before November 13, 2025, and are you still here? That date did not change with the extension.
- Were you without a valid permit? It doesn't matter how you entered: a tourist who overstayed or an irregular entry. You could register even if you already had a removal order.
- Is your purpose work, your own business or family reunification? Rib'e Lugá does not cover rentiers, investors or students.
If you answered yes to all three but did not register in time, the programme is no longer open to you, unless another extension is announced.
The documents that were required
- Proof that you were here before November 13, 2025. If you entered legally, the entry stamp is enough. If you came by boat, money transfers in your name (from a money transfer company or a local bank), a letter from a recognised organisation (UNHCR, PADF, IOM, Salú pa Tur, the Council of Churches, a consulate — including a consulate general or an honorary consul — or a Curaçao public body or recognised educational institution) or other evidence that objectively shows you were here all count. A rental contract or a statement from a private person only counts if it can be verified, for example with bank transfers.
- An apostilled birth certificate less than 1 year old, and a certificate of good conduct less than 3 months old for each adult. These take longest from Venezuela; how to request them country by country is in apostille and criminal records.
- Passport: it could be expired when you registered, but it must be valid when the permit is issued. If it had expired, you submitted a copy of its personal details page and of the page with your entry stamps, together with proof that you applied for a new one or proof of its extension.
- Depending on your purpose: the Employer's Declaration and the Guarantee Declaration (work or family), or the Declaration of Business Intent (own business).
If your registration was left unfinished
The application was submitted online only, at ribeluga.cw, and what closed on October 31 was registration, not the decision: applications submitted in time are still being decided. It has not been announced whether a registration you started but did not submit before the closing (with the fees paid or with documents not uploaded) can be finished afterwards, or whether the fees are refunded. If that is your case, ask Rib'e Lugá in writing, at info@ribeluga.cw or on WhatsApp at +5999 511-9984, and keep the reply. Never replace what is missing with a made-up paper: one false document taints the whole application.
IOM helped people register for free: it explained the process and helped them gather documents and submit the application (18-22 Hoogstraat, Willemstad; phone and WhatsApp +5999 665 8644). It has not announced whether it is still giving guidance after the closing. You don't need to pay an agent: if someone charges you to "guarantee" approval or to get you into the registration after the closing, read how to spot a scam.
Plan B, if you are refused
By registering, you identified yourself to the government. If you are refused, you have 6 weeks to leave voluntarily (count them from the date of the letter), and anyone who leaves before January 1, 2027 will not receive a formal removal order. We explain it in if Rib'e Lugá is refused. If you receive a refusal, read that article before you decide whether to object or leave.
After registering
The decision comes within up to 6 months. If you are approved: you pay the guarantee deposit, take out local health insurance for at least 1 year, collect the permit with your original documents and book an appointment at Kranshi, which has been mandatory since September 7, 2026. The full order is in the first 30 days.
Sources: Rib'e Lugá policy (April 24, 2026), official FAQ on immigrationcur.org and the announcement extending registration to October 31, 2026. This is not legal advice: if you have a removal order or a criminal record, consult a lawyer.
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