Scams in Rib'e Lugá: how to recognize a fake intermediary
The Rib'e Lugá registration was designed so that no one had to pay an intermediary: it was submitted online, each person could submit it themselves and official help was free. It closed on October 31, 2026, and no extension has been announced. That is why anyone who charges you to «get you onto the list» is lying to you about how it works. We have not found documented cases in public sources; what we can give you is each typical promise from a fake agent alongside what the official rule says.
Eight things a fake intermediary says, and what the official source says
| What they tell you | What the Toelatingsorganisatie says |
|---|---|
| «You cannot register without me.» | Each person could submit their own application, without a third party. And since November 1, 2026 nobody can register, either on their own or through an agent. |
| «I know someone inside, I can get you onto the list.» | Only applications submitted through the Rib'e Lugá digital portal, with the fees paid, are processed. There is no other list. |
| «I guarantee your approval.» | The Toelatingsorganisatie reviews each application and approves or rejects it. No one can guarantee the outcome. |
| «Send me the money and I will pay the fees.» | The fees were paid with the official payment order (Betalingsopdracht) before submitting the application, and registration has now closed. In a transfer, the first field had to contain only the name and date of birth of the applicant. A payment to an individual's account is not that payment. |
| «Pay the deposit now to secure your spot.» | The guarantee deposit is paid after your permit is approved, never before. |
| «I can make you a letter saying that you were here before November 13, 2025.» | Statements from private individuals and rental contracts are not valid on their own as proof. Valid proof includes the entry stamp, money transfers in your name (Western Union, Pagadero, MoneyGram or a local bank), a statement from a trusted organization on the official list or other objective evidence. |
| «You cannot apply with an expired passport, a removal order or if you arrived by boat; I can fix it for you.» | All three situations could be registered. Your passport only needs to be valid on the day your permit is issued. If it had expired, registering also required a copy of its personal details and entry stamp pages and proof that you applied for a new one or proof of its extension. |
| «There is late registration after October 31.» | Registration closed on October 31, 2026. Only the Government could open another period, and it has not announced one. |
The trusted organizations that could declare that you were in Curaçao were: UNHCR, PADF, the Council of Churches (Raad van Kerken), IOM, Salú pa Tur, consulates and a public or educational institution in Curaçao. According to the Toelatingsorganisatie, these organizations gave free guidance during registration.
Real help is free
- IOM, the organization the Toelatingsorganisatie itself refers you to: while registration was open, it explained the process and helped people gather documents and complete and submit the application, free of charge. It has not been announced whether it is still helping after October 31, so ask before you go. Hoogstraat 18-22 (Triangle), Willemstad. Phone and WhatsApp +5999 665-8644, ribaelugasupport@gmail.com. Request an appointment on the appointment page.
- The Rib'e Lugá team, for questions about your application: phone +5999 511-9984, text-only WhatsApp at the same number and info@ribeluga.cw.
- The portal: the application was submitted at permit.immigrationcur.org, the Toelatingsorganisatie portal; the address ribeluga.cw takes you to its Rib'e Lugá page on immigrationcur.org. Any other address asking you for data or money is not official.
While registration was open, no rule we have found prohibited paying someone you trust to help you with the computer. What was never true is that you could not do it without that person, or that they had a special route. And now that registration has closed, nobody can register you, whatever they charge.
A false document can cost you your permit
The Rib'e Lugá policy says that information can be checked at any time, including after your permit is issued, and that if it is discovered that you provided incorrect information, the permit can be withdrawn. An «agent» who makes up a letter or a stamp does not just take your money: they put your permit at risk. What the law says about false information is in how to recognize an immigration procedure scam.
If you have already paid someone
- Keep the evidence: screenshots of the conversation, the number, payment receipts and the name they gave you.
- Check your application with the Rib'e Lugá team. If it was not submitted before registration closed on October 31, no way to submit it afterwards has been announced: ask that same team and read Rib'e Lugá after October 31.
- Report it, including anonymously: phone numbers and police stations are listed in how to recognize an immigration procedure scam.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know I am on the official website?
The application was submitted only online, on the Toelatingsorganisatie's permit.immigrationcur.org portal; ribeluga.cw takes you to its Rib'e Lugá page on immigrationcur.org. It was not submitted on paper or by mail, or through a Facebook page or WhatsApp account belonging to an individual.
Someone I know says their cousin works for the government and can speed it up. Is that true?
The decision period is up to 6 months from when the application was submitted and is set by the Toelatingsorganisatie. There is no fast track that you can pay for.
What happens after October 31?
Registration closed that day and no extension has been announced, so no one else can register. What changes for each person is explained in Rib'e Lugá after October 31.
Sources: Toelatingsorganisatie, Rib'e Lugá frequently asked questions, Rib'e Lugá policy, work purpose, help with registration and contact; the Rib'e Lugá payment order; for an expired passport, the full text of the policy (April 24, 2026, p. 5). Consulted on September 27, 2026. General information, not legal advice.
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