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Working remotely from Curaçao: the short-stay permit for digital nomads

September 6, 2026 · Travel Remote work

Why entering as a tourist is not enough

The visa-free tourist limit for most Latin American nationalities is 30 days (90 only for the EU, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Japan; 6 months for Dutch and US nationals). And the tourist extension is granted only for special circumstances (illness, wedding, force majeure), not for remote work. For that there is a dedicated variant of the short-stay permit.

The permit: short stay as a remote worker

• Who: anyone working remotely for an employer registered outside Curaçao, a partner in a foreign company, or a freelancer whose clients' establishments are abroad. All nationalities may apply; family applies under the main applicant.
• Duration: up to 6 months (maximum 180 days per calendar year under this purpose). The official @HOME in Curaçao programme states an extension of another 6 months can be requested, up to one year in total; confirm when applying, because the official short-stay page treats renewal as exceptional.
• Cost: XCG 535, flat fee (this category is excluded from the 2- or 3-year option of the April 2026 policy). Paid at Maduro & Curiel's Bank with the payment order.
• Requirements: passport valid at least 6 months, proof of payment, declaration or contract from the foreign employer (or proof of your company/clients) and proof of financial means.
• Decision time: up to 4 months under the general rule; the first application is awaited outside Curaçao.

What you sign and what you may not do

• You sign a declaration that you will stay at most 180 days per year under this purpose and that you are prohibited from working for local employers or clients (Landsverordening Arbeid Vreemdelingen).
• The time does not accrue residence rights: it is explicitly temporary. If your plan is to stay, the route is a normal residence permit (work, own business, private means), filed from your country.
• You need private health insurance with coverage in Curaçao: no access to the public SVB/BVZ system.

Taxes and other practical details

• With under 183 days a year and no local-source income you normally remain a tax resident of your country; if you approach a full year with the extension, consult an accountant first.
• Fill in the DI-Card before travelling and carry the printed permit approval: border control will ask you to show purpose, duration and means.
• SIM card, currency, water and power: the practical side is in daily-life lifehacks.

How to apply

1. Gather the requirements and scan them as colour PDFs, no staples.
2. Pay XCG 535 at MCB with your name and date of birth as reference.
3. File at permit.immigrationcur.org (or by email to intake@immigrationcur.org if the purpose is not online) from outside Curaçao.
4. Once approved, book an appointment to receive the permit on arrival.

Full page with the forms: Short stay (Kort Verblijf).

Sources: official short-stay page of the Toelatingsorganisatie (immigrationcur.org/es/dep/kort-verblijf), the @HOME in Curaçao programme (duration, extension and profiles), 2013 short-stay policy and the 1-4-2026 policy change (exclusion from the 3-year option). Tax treatment depends on your country: consult a professional.

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