Residence Permit for Work (Employee of a Company)

Who does this apply to?

• Foreigners hired by a company in Curaçao (not business owners)
• Live-in domestic workers and hospitality staff (additional medical requirements)

Costs

• First application: XCG 655 ≈ US$ 366
• Renewal: XCG 615 ≈ US$ 344
• Change: XCG 615 ≈ US$ 344
• Other costs: XCG 10 adhesive stamp on the Employer's Declaration and on the Guarantee Declaration. Payment at Maduro & Curiel's Bank (MCB).
• 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 1.885). 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 from when the complete application is submitted (also confirmed judicially in ECLI:NL:OGHACMB:2012:BX4950). The first application must be awaited outside Curaçao (uitlandigheidsvereiste); renewals can be awaited within the country.

Requirements

• The employer (not the employee) must first apply for the work permit (tewerkstellingsvergunning) with the Ministry of Labor; only once that is approved can the residence permit be requested
• Proof of payment of fees and charges
• Original, complete, and signed application form
• Copy of valid passport (all nationalities, if you hold more than one)
• Copy of birth certificate (no older than 1 year), legalized or apostilled according to the country (except EU)
• Certificate of good conduct from the last place of residence (no older than 3 months)
• Copy of the valid work permit
• Copy of the employer's Chamber of Commerce extract (no older than 6 months) and of the labor registry
• Original signed Employer's Declaration + copy of the employer's ID
• If the employer is a natural person/sole proprietorship: tax return showing taxable income of at least XCG 36,000 over the last 2 years
• Guarantee Declaration signed by the employer (and by their spouse, if married)
• Hospitality staff and live-in domestic employees: health certificate (no older than 2 months) and chest X-ray evaluated by a specialist (no older than 30 days)

Steps to apply

1. The employer applies for the work permit (tewerkstellingsvergunning) with the Ministry of Labor (SOAW) — this includes posting the vacancy and waiting out the legal period.
   How to get this done

   SOAW — Vergunningenloket, Afdeling Intake (where the work permit application is submitted once Centrum voor Arbeid has approved the vacancy)

   Saliña 127, unit 3-16 (Eurobuilding), Willemstad, Curaçao — Google Maps

   +5999 434-0300

   This is the government's general permit counter, the Vergunningenloket at Saliña 127 (Eurobuilding); it is not the Toelatingsorganisatie, which since November 2025 has been at Prinsenstraat 90 (Punda). We found no information that a separate appointment is needed; the application is submitted after Centrum voor Arbeid approves the vacancy.

2. Once the work permit is approved, the residence requirements are gathered and scanned as PDF (right-side up, in color, no staples, no translucent backgrounds).
   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. The residence application is submitted 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 for the decision: 4 months. The first application must be awaited 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: an appointment is scheduled to pick up the permit. If negative: 6 weeks to object 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

• 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.

• 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.

Important notes

What the official rules say

• Are you the employer and not the worker? Read our full guide for companies, with the process explained from your side: Guide for employers: how to legally hire a foreigner in Curaçao.
• The only way the government has historically exempted someone from this requirement is through a SPECIAL REGULARIZATION POLICY with a cutoff date (Integrashon Responsabel 2021 -> Ribe Luga 2026) — never by litigating an individual case. If you do not qualify for the special policy currently in effect based on your entry date, there is no reliable legal shortcut to avoid leaving the country.
• A change of employer or of situation (e.g., finishing your studies and starting to work) must be reported to Immigration immediately, and you have 6 weeks to request the change of permit.
• The Employer's Declaration your boss must fill out asks for CONTRACTUAL weekly hours and ACTUAL weekly hours separately (to detect discrepancies between what was agreed and what was actually worked), in addition to gross/net salary and vacation bonus percentage, and it requires the company's PHYSICAL STAMP alongside the signature — without the stamp, the form can be rejected as incomplete.

• Exact legal basis of the Guarantee/Employer's Declaration: the employer commits in writing to cover

  1. the repatriation costs of the worker and their family, and
  2. ALL expenses the government would have to bear if the worker (or their family) becomes indigent or needs hospitalization paid for by the government.

  The guarantor must demonstrate sufficient means to be able to fulfill this. (Art. 4(4) and 11(2)(3) Toelatingsbesluit)

• Key legal basis behind all the case law on permit revocation (Art. 10 LTU): 'anyone who acts against the conditions of their permit is considered to have acted WITHOUT ANY PERMIT at all' — violating a condition is not a minor infraction; legally it puts you in the same status as having no permit at all.

• Exact criminal penalties for immigration violations (Art. 23-24 LTU):

  1. being without a permit = up to 3 months' detention or a fine of up to XCG 1,000
  2. overstaying after the permit expires = up to 1 month or a fine of up to XCG 500
  3. providing FALSE information to obtain or maintain a permit = up to 1 YEAR OF IMPRISONMENT (a serious offense, not a minor infraction) — this explains why case law treats any false document so severely.
• After 5 continuous years working under a tewerkstellingsvergunning (without gaps in validity), the worker obtains a residence permit INDEPENDENT of the employer (no longer tied to 'doel arbeid' via that specific employer). Duration of subsequent extensions: first 2 years, then 3 years each time. Dependent family members receive an equivalent dependent permit. (Section 3.3.1(b) HIG 2006)

• Exact and VERY specific rules for guarantors:

  1. a company/legal entity must show a profit-and-loss statement if there is doubt about whether it has sufficient capital
  2. a sole proprietor (eenmanszaak) acting as guarantor needs taxable income of at least XCG 36,000, PLUS an additional XCG 18,000 for EACH additional foreign worker they guarantee
  3. individuals with live-in domestic staff need XCG 36,000 of proven income PER PERSON they guarantee (e.g., a pair of caregivers = XCG 72,000/year)
  4. an employee can NEVER be the guarantor for their own family (their income depends on the employer)
  5. if the employer provides the guarantee for the worker AND the worker's family migrates together, the employer is also the guarantor for ALL of them. (Section 3.8-b.1 HIG 2006)
• The guarantor's liability does NOT end when they withdraw the guarantee in writing — they remain liable for ALL costs (repatriation, medical care, AND IMMIGRATION DETENTION COSTS at a rate of XCG 200 per EACH 24 hours) until the foreigner actually leaves the country. If the guarantor does not pay voluntarily, the government can initiate judicial collection via bailiff/seizure. (Section 3.8-b.1 HIG 2006)

What real court cases teach

• EVIDENCE-BASED VERDICT: of 5 real cases dealing specifically with the requirement to wait for the decision outside the country (uitlandigheidsvereiste) for someone already in Curaçao, 4 out of 5 LOST (ECLI:NL:OGEAC:2019:308, ECLI:NL:OGEAC:2021:126, ECLI:NL:OGHACMB:2022:48 · Aruba, ECLI:NL:OGHACMB:2024:22). The only one won (ECLI:NL:OGHACMB:2021:12 · Sint Maarten) was due to a specific wording ambiguity in the DIRECTOR category, not applicable to employees.
• The residence permit for work is legally dependent on first having the Ministry of Labor's work permit approved; if that is denied, the residence permit is automatically denied as well (ECLI:NL:OGHACMB:2021:279 · Bonaire).
• If the reason for your permit changes or ends (divorce, end of studies, dismissal), the official instruction (HIG 2006) requires you to inform Immigration immediately and gives you 6 weeks to request a change of permit. If you don't report it and it comes to light later, the permit is treated as withdrawn from the day the reason changed: the Joint Court applied this in a Sint Maarten case (ECLI:NL:OGHACMB:2023:206).
• A criminal record weighs on renewals: in Bonaire, a minor fine was enough to deny a renewal on 'public order' grounds (ECLI:NL:OGHACMB:2020:103). In Curaçao, the law allows even an indefinite permit to be withdrawn after a final conviction for a crime to 3 months or more of unconditional imprisonment (LTU, art. 14; ECLI:NL:OGHACMB:2026:71).
• Submitting even a single false document (e.g., a declaration from an employer that does not exist) taints the credibility of the entire application (ECLI:NL:OGHACMB:2023:208 · Sint Maarten).

The rules common to every permit (in Spanish) also apply: mandatory health insurance, guarantor liability, renewal deadlines and grounds for revocation.

Related real case law (15)

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:2019:308CuraçaoGovernment won

  KEY for anyone with irregular stay whose employer wants to process their permit: not even a favorable informal note from an official exempts you from the requirement to file the first application from outside the island.

• ECLI:NL:OGHACMB:2022:157Sint MaartenForeign national won

  The work permit is the legal responsibility of the EMPLOYER, not the employee. Without a prior express warning, the worker cannot be denied residence for having worked without a permit.

• ECLI:NL:OGHACMB:2022:158Sint MaartenForeign national won

  Companion case to the previous one: the same reasoning applied to the application for indefinite residence.

• ECLI:NL:OGHACMB:2024:86Sint MaartenMixed result

  SERIOUS WARNING: disobeying a departure order of just 6 weeks (following an initial denial) counts as a violation of public order and blocks future permits, even though part of the case was won on a defect in the official's authority/competence.

• ECLI:NL:OGHACMB:2021:407ArubaForeign national won

  Won: if the government mistakenly issues an entry authorization (VTA), that letter creates a legitimate expectation; the risk of the error lies with the Ministry, not the applicant.

• ECLI:NL:OGHACMB:2019:208Sint MaartenGovernment won

  WARNING: not even an official letter announcing approval offers protection if there is an active re-entry ban in place; it can be reversed as an 'administrative error'.

• ECLI:NL:OGHACMB:2021:209ArubaGovernment won

  If the employment office does not find a suitable local candidate, the employer must still demonstrate that they actively searched for local personnel on their own.

• ECLI:NL:OGHACMB:2021:23CuraçaoGovernment won

  Requiring the employer to provide an income declaration (minimum XCG 36,000/year) is a legitimate requirement; the burden of proof lies with the applicant.

• ECLI:NL:OGHACMB:2011:BV2080CuraçaoForeign national won

  Won: if the government is mistaken about the facts (here, the person's actual immigration status), the decision to deny the permit is annulled.

• ECLI:NL:OGHACMB:2024:23ArubaGovernment won

  Concealing relevant immigration history (previous expulsion orders, periods of non-admission) in a new application is an independent and valid ground for denial.

• ECLI:NL:OGHACMB:2025:276ArubaGovernment won

  While a 'period of non-readmission' is in effect, no new work permit application will be approved, regardless of other merits of the case.

• ECLI:NL:OGEAC:2020:7CuraçaoForeign national won

  Won on procedural grounds: the Ministry must notify the applicant of missing documents (e.g., medical certificate) and give an opportunity to correct them before denying at the objection stage.

• ECLI:NL:OGHACMB:2021:387ArubaForeign national won

  Undetectable HIV is NOT on the legal list of diseases that block a permit (only AIDS as a distinct diagnosis is). The Ministry appealed and lost.

• ECLI:NL:OGHACMB:2021:391ArubaGovernment won

  Unlike HIV, syphilis IS expressly listed as a disease that bars the permit, even if it has already been cured by the time of the appeal.

• ECLI:NL:OGHACMB:2021:394CuraçaoInadmissible (merits not decided)

  WARNING: if you leave Curaçao without a plan to return, you lose procedural interest in your own appeal and the court will not rule on the merits.

Frequently asked questions