Short Stay (Kort Verblijf)

Who does this apply to?

• Capital investor / hibernator (min. XCG 36,000 in resources, or a house/apartment, or a yacht of at least 10m in Curaçao)
• Remote worker / digital nomad for a foreign employer
• Local worker within the meaning of Art. 5 LAV whose employer already holds a work permit for him/her
• Ship's crew (maritime personnel)
• Legalization: someone who already held a temporary permit, did not renew it on time, has been without a valid permit for less than 12 months, and did not leave Curaçao for urgent reasons (does NOT apply to anyone who never held a valid permit)

Costs

• First application: XCG 535 ≈ US$ 299
• Other costs: Same amount (XCG 535) for all 5 variants: legalization, hibernator/investor, remote worker, Art. 5 LAV worker, and ship's crew. Payment at Maduro & Curiel's Bank.

Dollar amounts are approximate, at the fixed rate of US$ 1 = XCG 1.79. You pay in XCG.

Decision time

4 months (Admission Service). First application: the decision must be awaited abroad, per the site's general rule.

Requirements

• General: proof of fee payment, copy of a valid passport (min. 6 months' validity after the application)
• Hibernator/investor: proof of resources (XCG 36,000, or real estate property in Curaçao, or a yacht ≥10m, or a local bank guarantee of XCG 650,000); if you have dependent family members, each one must submit their own short-stay application
• Remote worker: employment declaration/contract from the foreign employer, proof of financial means
• Art. 5 LAV worker: copy of the valid work permit, employer's guarantee declaration (XCG 10 stamp), employer's declaration
• Ship's crew: internationally recognized seaman's book, guarantee declaration signed by the consignee and captain, captain's declaration of impeccable conduct, copy of the crew list
• Legalization: certificate of conduct from the last place of residence (max. 3 months old), copy of the valid work permit or proof of application, guarantee declaration and employer's declaration

Steps to apply

1. Gather all the requirements for the applicable variant and scan them as PDF (right-side up, in color, no staples, ~2cm margin).
   How to get this done

   How to scan your documents correctly

   The scan (or photo) of each document must meet ALL these criteria, or the system may reject your application: (1) it must be a scan of an ORIGINAL document, not a copy of a copy; (2) scanned as straight as possible, not tilted; (3) no staples, paper clips or fingers visible in the image; (4) not edited or retouched; (5) avoid folds and creases; (6) all data must be sharp, legible and not blurry; (7) no crossed-out, covered or overwritten data; (8) for identity documents the image must show the WHOLE document in colour (passport: top and bottom page; cédula: front and back); (9) leave about 2 cm of margin around the image; (10) the document must NOT have a translucent/transparent background.

   • Use a real scanner if you have access to one (office, library, copy shop): it gives better results than a phone photo.
   • If you use your phone, do it in good daylight, without direct flash, with the document on a flat, dark surface so the edges are clearly visible.
   • Save each document as a PDF (not a loose JPG) when the procedure explicitly asks for PDF format.
2. Pay the fees (XCG 535) at Maduro & Curiel's Bank using the payment order with your name and date of birth as reference.
   How to get this done

   Maduro & Curiel's Bank (MCB): to pay immigration fees (account 31967908, in the name of the Toelatingsorganisatie)

   Foto: Kattiel, CC BY-SA 4.0

   Plasa Jojo Correa 2-4, Punda, Willemstad, Curaçao (sede principal/Punda Head Office) — Google Maps

   Monday to Friday 08:00–14:00 (main branch; other branches may differ)

   No appointment is needed for a regular deposit or transfer. It is not confirmed whether payment can be made 100% through online banking or the app without visiting a branch: MCB offers digital banking, but we have not verified that transfers with a free-text reference (name + date of birth) are accepted without a branch visit. Ask the bank directly.

   How to pay the fee for your procedure

   Payment is made by deposit or transfer at Maduro & Curiel's Bank (MCB), account 31967908, in the name of the Toelatingsorganisatie (Rib'e Lugá also accepts payment at Banco di Caribe, account 36286001). ALWAYS put your full name and date of birth in the payment reference (some forms also ask for your passport number): without that reference the payment cannot be matched to your application. You must pay BEFORE submitting your application and show the original proof of payment if asked. Use the 'Payment order' form (on the procedure page) to find the exact amount for your case.

   • Since 1 April 2026, if you apply for a permit for more than 1 year, you pay the fee for each year requested in advance; see the policy notice on the home page.
   • Keep the paper receipt AND a photo/scan: you need it for the application AND as a back-up if there is a dispute.
3. Submit the application via the portal (permit.immigrationcur.org) or by email to intake@immigrationcur.org if the purpose is not available online.
   How to get this done

   How to submit your application online

   The vast majority of Toelatingsorganisatie procedures are submitted by EMAIL to intake@immigrationcur.org (some objection/appeal procedures go to info@immigrationcur.org; check which applies to your case on the relevant page). Attach ALL documents, scanned according to the official criteria, plus the proof of payment. If an authorised representative submits the application (not you), a signed authorisation and a copy of their ID must also be attached. You will receive an acknowledgement of receipt by email; keep it as proof. Rib'e Lugá is the EXCEPTION: that procedure goes through the www.ribeluga.cw portal, not by email.

   • Write a clear email subject (e.g. 'Application VTTV - [your full name]') so it is processed faster.
   • Attach files with descriptive names (e.g. 'passport.pdf', 'birth-certificate.pdf') instead of generic names like 'scan001.pdf'.
   • Keep a copy of everything you send: you will need it if you later have to object to a negative decision.
4. Wait up to 4 months for the decision (first application: wait outside Curaçao).
   How to get this done

   What to do while you wait for the decision

   The standard term is 4 months from the moment you submit the COMPLETE application (the clock does not run while something is missing). If this is your FIRST application for most procedures, you must wait for the decision OUTSIDE Curaçao (except renewals/changes, which may be awaited in the country). The decision is sent by email to the address you gave on the form; check your spam folder too. You can check the status of your application at any time (see the 'Check the status of an application' page).

   • If you move or change your email address while waiting, report it immediately to info@immigrationcur.org: if they cannot reach you, they may refuse your application for 'failure to cooperate'.
   • Do not buy final return tickets until you have the decision in hand if your plan depends on approval.
5. If positive: schedule an appointment to receive the permit. If negative: 6 weeks to file an objection by email to info@immigrationcur.org.
   How to get this done

   Toelatingsorganisatie Curaçao (Admission Office)

   Prinsenstraat 90, Punda, Willemstad, Curaçao — Google Maps

   Monday to Thursday 08:00–15:00, Friday 08:00–12:00

   +5999 733-2000

   info@immigrationcur.org

   Since Monday 24 November 2025 the office has been back in its renovated building at Prinsenstraat 90, Punda: the information desk and the issuing of residence titles (passport stamps) are there. The temporary location at Saliña 127 (Eurobuilding), used since September 2024, is no longer the Toelatingsorganisatie's address. The phone number is 733-2000; the old numbers 733-2080, 733-2081 and 733-2083 are no longer in use. Appointments to collect a passport stamp, proof of return, refund or final departure are booked through www.immigrationcur.org. For questions, email info@immigrationcur.org or message 'Admission Office Curaçao' on Facebook/Instagram.

   How to object to a negative decision

   You have 6 WEEKS from notification of the decision to file your objection (bezwaar) by email to info@immigrationcur.org. Your objection must include: your full name and address, a clear description of the decision you are challenging, why you disagree, what outcome you want, your signature, and an address in Curaçao if you live abroad. Attach a copy of the decision and any new evidence. If your objection is rejected (or you prefer to skip this step), you can appeal directly to the Court of First Instance of Curaçao; see the 'Objection and appeal' page for full details, including the legal strategy of asking for a 'provisional measure' (voorlopige voorziening) if you do not want to wait outside the country.

   • Do not let the 6 weeks pass: after that deadline you lose the right to object this way.
   • If your objection is against the refusal of a RENEWAL, by default you still have to wait outside the country, as with a first application, unless you EXPLICITLY ask the court for a provisional measure.

Downloadable forms

• Payment order DOCX · 853 KB Fill it in here
  How to fill out this form

  Betalingsopdracht / Orden de pago: the same form in different languages.

  Form 910. This is the payment order you use at Maduro & Curiel's Bank (MCB) to pay the procedure fees BEFORE you submit your application. You only tick the box for your procedure: the amount is already fixed, you don't have to calculate anything.

  Section single — Select your product/service: Mark (with an X or a circle) the line that matches your procedure EXACTLY. The amounts are already set per category; you don't have to add anything up yourself.

  Proof of return	XCG 225
  Niet-van-Toepassing declaration	XCG 225
  Van Rechtswege declaration	XCG 615
  First application (study)	XCG 625
  First application (rentier/investor/own business/pensioner)	XCG 635
  First application (work/family reunification)	XCG 655
  Renewal (work/study/rentier/investor/pensioner/own business)	XCG 615
  Renewal (family reunification)	XCG 625
  Change of permit	XCG 615
  Internship stay	XCG 525
  Short stay	XCG 535
  Tourist stay	XCG 525
  Final departure	XCG 145
  Duplicate	XCG 195

• Guarantee declaration DOCX · 5.6 MB Fill it in here
  How to fill out this form

  Garantieverklaring (Dutch)

  Signed by the guarantor (employer, family member or any person/company vouching for the foreign national), who commits to the State to cover the costs of the foreign national's stay in Curaçao.

  Section 1 — Guarantor's details: Surname, first names, sex, address (if the guarantor is a company, its business address), ID number, date and place of birth, nationality and phone. If the guarantor is the employer (a company), give the company name; the personal details and signature must be those of the director or an authorised representative.

  Section 2 — Guarantee obligation: Fixed text (do not fill in): the guarantor declares they will cover the costs to the State and other public bodies arising from the foreign national's LEGAL OR ILLEGAL stay, including the cost of any removal/departure journey to a country that will admit them. The guarantee only ends when the foreign national leaves Curaçao for good or obtains a change of permit.

  Section 3 — Foreign national's details: Surname, first names, sex, date and place of birth, country of birth, address, marital status, nationality, phone: the details of the person being guaranteed.

  Section 4 — Guarantor's signature: Date and place (Willemstad). Signature of the guarantor and, in a separate box, signature of the guarantor's spouse.

• Employer's declaration DOCX · 5.6 MB Fill it in here
  How to fill out this form

  Werkgeversverklaring (Dutch) / Work declaration (English)

  Signed by the employer to confirm the foreign national's actual employment terms: type of contract, hours and salary. It is the proof that the job is real and verifiable, not just declared.

  Section 1 — Employee's details: Surname, first names, sex, address, ID number, date and country of birth, nationality: the foreign worker's details.

  Section 2 — Employer's details: Company name, address, phone and the company's CRIB number.

  Section 3 — Employment details: The employee's position, start date, whether the job is permanent or temporary (with end date if applicable), whether there is a probation period (and until when), CONTRACTUAL weekly hours and ACTUAL weekly hours (asked separately; they must match reality), gross and net salary (excluding holiday pay) per month or per week, and whether there is holiday pay (with percentage, or 'No').

  Section 4 — Employer's signature: The employer declares that the employee works (or will work) at the named company from the date given. Name and position of the signatory, date, signature and the company/institution STAMP: the physical stamp is mandatory, not optional.

• Guarantee declaration for ship's crew DOCX · 517 KB Fill it in here
  How to fill out this form

  Declaración de garantía marítimo: signed by the shipping agent, not by a private person or the employer.

  Signed by the shipping agent (the company that represents the ship in Curaçao) to answer for the costs of a foreign crew member's stay. It is different from the general guarantee declaration.

  Section 1 — Guarantor's details (the shipping agent): Name of the shipping agent; 'On behalf of' (the ship or shipping line it represents); position of the signatory; address; phone; and Chamber of Commerce (KVK) registration number.

  Section 2 — Guarantee obligation: Fixed text (do not fill in): the agent covers the costs that the crew member's legal or illegal stay causes the State, including the journey to a country that will admit them. The guarantee ends when the crew member leaves Curaçao for good.

  Section 3 — Foreign national's details (the crew member): Surname, first name, sex, date and place of birth, country of birth and nationality.

  Section 4 — Signature: Date and place (Willemstad), signature and stamp of the shipping agent. It also needs the XCG 10 adhesive stamp marked by the 'Sello XCG 10,-' box.

Important notes

• Legalization does NOT apply to someone who never held a valid residence permit — it is only for regularizing a recent, brief lapse.
• This is a permit of a maximum of 6 months, not a pathway to permanent residence on its own.
• IMPORTANT: the standard period for a tourist WITHOUT a visa is only 30 DAYS for most nationalities. The 90-day (3-month) period that many people assume applies ONLY to Dutch, Belgian, and Luxembourg nationals, and nationalities with a visa-exemption treaty with the Kingdom of the Netherlands. If you are not from one of those countries, confirm your actual period before assuming 90 days. (Art. 2 Toelatingsbesluit)
• Legal source recovered via OCR (previously illegible scanned document): the short stay lasts UP TO 180 DAYS (not a lower number). There is a 'capital investor' category SEPARATE from the normal investor route (residence permit): here the threshold is XCG 650,000 and a BANK GUARANTEE is required (not a simple reference) from a bank established in Curaçao, no older than 3 months, certifying the intent and means to make the investment.
• Renewal rules are VERY different depending on your category: the 'overwinteraar' (owner of a house/apartment or a yacht of 10+ meters, or solvent with XCG 36,000) CANNOT renew under any circumstances. The short-stay 'capital investor' CAN renew, but only 'in highly exceptional cases'. Neither category accrues a right of residence — it is explicitly temporary. Family members receive a permit equal to that of the main applicant.
• You must sign a declaration acknowledging that you may stay only up to 180 days PER CALENDAR YEAR under this purpose, and that you are PROHIBITED from working (Landsverordening Arbeid Vreemdelingen).

• Clarification (distinct from the visa exemption period under Art. 2): the MAXIMUM duration of a tourist stay by nationality category (which is a different thing from the visa-free entry period) is:

  1. Dutch and US nationals up to 6 months/year
  2. EU/Canada/Australia/New Zealand/Japan up to 90 days/year
  3. all other nationalities 30 days — see the “Tourist - Extension of Tourist Stay” procedure for the full detail.

Frequently asked questions