Study (study permit or Van Rechtswege)

Who does this apply to?

• Anyone coming to study at an educational institution in Curaçao.
• Residence permit for study: the track for almost all foreigners.
• Van Rechtswege track (declaration by operation of law): only Dutch and US citizens. Instead of documenting XCG 1,000 a month, proof of your study funding is enough.

Costs

• First application: XCG 625 ≈ US$ 349
• Renewal: XCG 615 ≈ US$ 344
• Other costs: Van Rechtswege track: XCG 615.
• Fee per year of validity. Since 1 April 2026 you can request the permit for 1, 2 or 3 years and pay each year's fee up front (for example, 3 years = XCG 1.855). See what changed on 1 April 2026 (Spanish) →

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

Decision time

4 months, on both tracks. Permit track: in principle you wait for the decision on a first application outside Curaçao (there is an exception for students; see the notes).

Requirements

• Proof of payment of fees and charges (when paying, give your full name and date of birth as the reference)
• Copy of your valid passport (if you have several nationalities, of every passport)
• Copy of your birth certificate, apostilled or legalized depending on the country (no older than 1 year; certificates from EU countries do not need it). If paternity was acknowledged, the acknowledgment certificate too
• Certificate of good conduct from your last place of residence (no older than 3 months)
• Permit track only: enrollment at an educational institution in Curaçao
• Permit track only: proof of means of at least XCG 1,000 a month, not counting tuition: a bank statement showing a monthly transfer or a local account with at least XCG 12,000, or a scholarship, or a guarantee statement from a local guarantor with an XCG 10 stamp and proof of their solvency
• Permit track only: the original student declaration, completed and signed, with an XCG 10 stamp
• Van Rechtswege track only: proof of your study funding
• To renew (permit track): copy of your current permit (decision and sticker), enrollment for the new school year, your study results and the proof of means again; the birth certificate and the certificate of conduct are not repeated

Steps to apply

1. Confirm enrollment at a recognized educational institution in Curaçao
   How to get this done

   Before applying, verify in writing with Curaçao's Department of Education (or directly with the institution) that your study program is officially recognized (e.g. as HBO) — this is a requirement that is actually enforced, confirmed by a real court case (see case law below).

2. Gather the requirements for your track and scan them as PDF
   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.
3. Pay the fee at Maduro & Curiel's Bank: XCG 625 the first time on the permit track, XCG 615 on the Van Rechtswege track
   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.
4. Submit the application 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.
5. Wait for the decision (up to 4 months)
   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.
6. If positive: book an appointment to collect the document. If negative: you have 6 weeks to file an objection
   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

• Application form DOCX · 2.6 MB Fill it in here
  How to fill out this form

  Aanvraagformulier VTTV / Application Form VTTV: the same form in different languages, checked field by field.

  This is the main form: it is used for the first application, renewal or change of almost every residence permit (work, family, study, rentier, investor, own business). It has 13 numbered sections. Only fill in the sections that apply to your case; leave the rest blank or write 'n/a'.

  Section 1 — Reason for the application: Tick ONE box: first application, renewal or change (change only if you already had a valid permit).

  Section 2 — Purpose of your stay: Tick the MAIN reason for your application (Employee, Director, Family reunification, Internship, Study, Own business, Rentier scheme, Rentier/Pensioner). If you have more than one reason, choose the main one: the other requirements of your specific procedure depend on this box.

  Section 3 — Payment details: Date you paid and the exact amount in XCG. You must have PAID before submitting this form; attach the proof.

  Section 4 — Personal details of the foreign national (the applicant): Your full details: surname, first names, date and place of birth, nationality(ies), FMSCRV number (only if you had a permit before), address abroad AND in Curaçao, phone, email (the decision is sent there), passport details, and marital status (married/divorced, with dates).

  Section 5 — Partner's details: Only if you have a spouse or cohabiting partner: the same basic details as section 4. Not applicable? Write 'n/a'.

  Section 6 — Children's details: Up to 6 children under 27: name, date of birth, country, nationality, and their current address if they don't live with you. Not applicable? Write 'n/a'.

  Section 7 — Employment details / sources of income: Employer's name, your position, your income (stating whether it is per week/fortnight/month/year), and your personal CRIB number.

  Section 8 — Guarantor's details: The 'guarantor' is whoever vouches for your stay: your employer (person or organisation) or the person you are joining. If it is a person: name, birth details, address, CRIB. If it is an organisation/company: company name, address, Chamber of Commerce (KVK) number, contact person, company CRIB.

  Section 9 — Questions about your stay in Curaçao: Since when you have been in Curaçao and when you plan to settle. LITERAL WARNING ON THE FORM ITSELF: if you answer that you are already in Curaçao WITHOUT a valid residence title, the form itself warns that 'this may be a reason to refuse your application'. Think carefully about this answer and get advice if your situation is irregular.

  Section 10 — Expiry date of your current permit: Only for a renewal or change: the exact date your current permit expires.

  Section 11 — Grounds for your application: Free space to explain your situation in your own words; add a blank page if you need more room. Here you can mention special circumstances (e.g. a child's medical condition, long-standing family ties) that case law shows the government must explicitly weigh.

  Section 12 — Declaration on criminal record: Sworn statement that you have never had a criminal conviction, community service order, unconditional criminal fine or pending criminal case. If you CANNOT truthfully declare this, there is space to explain why. Do NOT lie here: concealing a record is a separate ground for refusal confirmed by case law (more serious than honestly stating the record).

  Section 13 — Where you have lived in the last 5 years: First application only: list the countries where you have lived in the last 5 years.

  Section 15 — Authorisation and signature: You authorise Immigration to request information about you from the Public Prosecutor, Interpol, the Tax Office, SVB, SOAW, banks and insurers. You sign and declare that everything is true: a false statement is a criminal offence and can affect your permit. Children aged 12 or over must sign THEMSELVES, not only a parent/guardian.

• 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.

• Student declaration DOCX · 636 KB Fill it in here
  How to fill out this form

  Studentenverklaring (Dutch)

  Signed by the foreign student, acknowledging the conditions and limits of a study permit, above all that they may NOT work.

  Section 1 — Applicant's details: Surname, first names, sex, address, marital status, date and place of birth, nationality, phone, and the details of the educational institution (name, the course/programme, address and phone of the institution).

  Section 2 — Declaration of conditions (student's signature): Fixed text the student acknowledges by signing: (1) the stay is only allowed for the purpose of STUDY; (2) they may not work on the local labour market; (3) the stay is temporary and does NOT build up a right of residence; (4) if caught working, the permit will be withdrawn; (5) they must leave Curaçao if that happens.

  Section 3 — Signature: Date and place (Willemstad, Curaçao), signed by the student personally.

Important notes

• Which track is yours. With a Dutch or US passport, the Van Rechtswege track, which asks for fewer documents: proof of your study funding is enough. Everyone else applies for the residence permit for study, which requires enrollment at an institution in Curaçao and means of at least XCG 1,000 a month. Official requirements of the Van Rechtswege track for students: Toelatingsorganisatie page.
• Warning based on real case law: verify that the educational institution is officially recognized (e.g. as HBO) by the Department of Education before applying — this is a court-confirmed ground for rejection. See case cited below.
• The Student Declaration you sign includes an explicit warning: Working while holding this permit revokes your residence permit immediately, and time spent as a student does not count toward accumulating years for indefinite residence.
• Exception to the general rule of waiting outside the country: under Art. 8(2) LTU, a student who has already filed their first residence permit application for study purposes can stay in Curaçao as a tourist for up to 3 months while waiting for the decision — unlike most procedures, where you are required to wait outside. If 3 months go by without a decision, their tourist situation must be assessed separately.

Related real case law (1)

Real cases from the courts of Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten and the Caribbean Netherlands, which share the Joint Court of Justice. We show the island of each one, because each island's rules can differ. Each number links to the original text.

Legal review: pending This page summarises court rulings and has not yet been reviewed by a lawyer. It is not legal advice. What this means

• ECLI:NL:OGEAC:2020:9CuraçaoGovernment won

  A Jamaican woman who had been undocumented since 2010 applied for a study permit, but the educational institution was not recognized as HBO by the Department of Education — she lost the case. Lesson: verifying the institution's official recognition is a real requirement that is actually enforced.

Frequently asked questions