Family Reunification / Family Formation via Van Rechtswege Declaration

Who does this apply to?

• Dutch family members of someone coming to live and work in Curaçao on the Van Rechtswege track: the official page refers to letters f and h of Art. 3 LTU (adult Dutch nationals, and minor children with Dutch nationality). The law gives this track only to Dutch nationals and to the family of consuls, military and government-seconded staff; a foreign family member of a Dutch national applies, in principle, for the residence permit with family.
• Spouse and minor children of consuls and consular staff admitted in Curaçao (Art. 3 LTU, letter g)
• Spouse and minor children of military personnel stationed in Curaçao and of government-seconded staff (Art. 3 LTU, letter g); the page does not ask them for proof of payment

Costs

• First application: XCG 615 ≈ US$ 344
• Other costs:
  • XCG 615 for the family of someone coming to live and work, and for the family of consuls and consular staff.
  • For the family of military and seconded staff, the page does not ask for proof of payment.
  • The page does not mention a renewal fee.

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

Work out your total (one-off payment, no deposit): open the cost calculator →

Decision time

4 months from when the complete application is submitted

Requirements

Gathering your papers? Tick them off in your checklist, remove what does not apply and print it: open my document checklist →

• Proof of payment of fees and charges (not required for the family of military and seconded staff)
• Copy of valid passport (all nationalities if you hold more than one)
• Copy of birth certificate (no more than 1 year old; apostilled/legalized according to country of origin, except EU). If the child was recognized, also the deed of recognition (no more than 1 year old)
• Certificate of good conduct (no more than 3 months old), for those aged 18 or over
• If married: copy of the marriage certificate (no more than 1 year old; apostilled or legalized depending on the country, except EU) and, if you married abroad, a copy of the marriage's registration at Publieke Zaken in Curaçao (if the couple arrives together, the certificate is enough)
• If cohabiting without marriage: notarial cohabitation/registered partnership agreement concluded in the Netherlands or the BES islands, plus proof of being single/divorced/widowed
• Proof of sufficient, lasting means of the main applicant (for the family of someone coming to work: spouse, at least XCG 1,900 gross a month, plus per child XCG 300 aged 0 to 5, XCG 450 aged 6 to 11 and XCG 650 from age 12)
• Family of consuls, military or seconded staff: if one of the child's parents is not coming, a copy of the valid passport of the parent who stays together with their notarial declaration of no objection, or the court ruling granting sole parental authority or guardianship; legalized or apostilled depending on the country (except EU)

Steps to apply

1. Gather all requirements according to your category (employee, consular, or military)
   How to get this done

   Go to the 'Requirements' section of this same page and identify which of the 3 categories (employee, consular, military) applies to you before gathering documents — each one requires a different combination of declarations and supporting documents.

2. Scan everything as PDF meeting the scanning criteria (in color, without staples, visible edges, without 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. Pay XCG 615 at Maduro & Curiel's Bank or Banco di Caribe using the payment order, with the applicant's full name as the reference (and their date of birth, if there is room) (the page does not ask this of the family of military and seconded staff)
   How to get this done

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

   Photo: Kattiel, CC BY-SA 4.0

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

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

   No appointment is needed for a deposit or a transfer. The Toelatingsorganisatie confirmed in writing on October 9, 2026 that you can pay by bank transfer, as the payment order says; the reference must include your full name; your date of birth can be added if there is room.

   How to pay the fee for your procedure

   Payment is made by deposit or transfer in the name of the Toelatingsorganisatie, at Maduro & Curiel's Bank (MCB), account 31967908, or at Banco di Caribe, account 36286001 (both accounts are on the payment order the Toelatingsorganisatie sent us on September 30, 2026). In the payment reference, put your full name, which is mandatory, and your date of birth if there is room (Toelatingsorganisatie, in writing, October 9, 2026). 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 April 1, 2026, if you apply for a permit for more than 1 year, you pay for all the years in advance: in a first application, the first year at the first-application fee and the others at the renewal fee; if you renew, all of them at the renewal fee (Toelatingsorganisatie payment order, September 30, 2026); 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

   First, the Toelatingsorganisatie's portal, permit.immigrationcur.org: that is where you apply for the Van Rechtswege and Niet van Toepassing declarations (since September 1, 2016 they are only accepted online, not at the counter), the extension of a tourist stay and some residence permits, and people with US nationality have to use it too. Each person opens their own account, which also covers their spouse and children. If your procedure is not in the portal, scan the form and the other documents as PDF and send them by email to intake@immigrationcur.org (objections go to info@immigrationcur.org; check which applies on your procedure's page). Attach all the 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 (the portal's comes from no-reply@immigrationcur.org; if you do not see it, check your spam folder): keep it as proof. Rib'e Lugá was separate, with its own application on that same portal, until registration closed on October 31, 2026.

   • If you send it by email, write a clear subject line (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 up to 4 months for the decision (notified by email)
   How to get this done

   What to do while you wait for the decision

   This procedure does not require you to wait for the decision outside Curaçao. The official page gives the Toelatingsorganisatie 4 months from the moment you submit the application and says the decision is sent by email to the address you gave: 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 change your email address while you wait, tell info@immigrationcur.org: the decision is sent to the address you gave.
6. If positive: schedule an appointment to receive the permit
   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, November 24, 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.

7. If negative: submit an objection by email to info@immigrationcur.org within 6 weeks
   How to get this done

   How to object to a negative decision

   You have 6 weeks to file your objection (bezwaar) by email to info@immigrationcur.org. The period starts on the day after the date on which the Toelatingsorganisatie sent you the decision, not the day you receive or read it (LAR, Art. 56; official objection and appeal page): if the letter is slow to arrive or lands in your spam folder, the clock is already running. 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 · 95 KB · in Spanish · Official English version DOCX · 84 KB Fill it in here
  How to fill out this form

  Betalingsopdracht / Orden de pago: the Toelatingsorganisatie publishes the same order in Spanish, English and Dutch, with the Maduro & Curiel's Bank and Banco di Caribe accounts, 1-, 2- and 3-year rows and its own investor row (XCG 1,865 / 3,095 / 6,170).

  Form 910. This is the payment order you use to pay the procedure fees, at Maduro & Curiel's Bank (MCB) or Banco di Caribe, BEFORE you submit your application. You tick the line for your procedure and, for a permit by the year, the duration; each line's amount is already fixed.

  Section single — Select your product/service: Mark (with an X or a circle) the line that matches your procedure EXACTLY. For a permit by the year, tick the purpose and, below it, the duration: 1, 2 or 3 years for a first application or a change of purpose; if you renew, the duration under “Renewal”. Each duration already carries the total for all the years, so do not add anything up; the table below gives the amount for 1 year. For example, a first application for work is XCG 655 for 1 year, 1,270 for 2 and 1,885 for 3, and renewing a work-based permit costs XCG 615 for 1 year, 1,230 for 2 and 1,845 for 3.

  Proof of return	XCG 225
  Niet van Toepassing declaration	XCG 225
  Van Rechtswege declaration	XCG 615
  Internship stay	XCG 525
  Short stay	XCG 535
  Tourist stay extension	XCG 525
  Duplicate	XCG 195
  Final departure	XCG 145
  Investor, 3 years	XCG 1,865
  Investor, 5 years	XCG 3,095
  Investor, indefinite	XCG 6,170
  First application (work)	XCG 655
  First application (family reunification)	XCG 655
  First application (study)	XCG 625
  First application (rentier/own business/pensioner)	XCG 635
  Renewal (work/study/rentier/pensioner/own business)	XCG 615
  Renewal (family reunification)	XCG 625
  Change of purpose	XCG 615

  Tips

  • ⚠️ Remember: since April 1, 2026, if your permit is for more than 1 year (up to 3 years), you pay for all the years in advance: in a first application, the first year at the first-application amount and each extra year at the renewal amount; if you renew, all of them at the renewal amount. The order's 2- and 3-year rows already carry that sum (Toelatingsorganisatie payment order, September 30, 2026).
  • The order has no row for a change to study: the Toelatingsorganisatie confirmed in writing on October 12, 2026 that it costs XCG 615, like the other changes. Ask them how to mark it before paying.
  • In the payment reference of the bank deposit, write your full name, which is mandatory. The order asks for “only the full name”, but the Toelatingsorganisatie clarified in writing on October 9, 2026 that your date of birth can also go in if there is room.
  • Keep the paper or scanned receipt — you must show the original for inspection when you hand in your application.
• Employer's declaration DOCX · 5.6 MB · in Spanish · Official English version DOCX · 7.5 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. At the top there is a box marked “Sello/Zegel XCG 10” for the XCG 10 adhesive stamp.

  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, if the employer is a company or institution, its stamp: the form has a 'company/institution stamp' field next to the signature.

  Tips

  • Make sure the 'contractual' and 'actual' weekly hours reflect reality: the form asks for them separately on purpose, to catch contracts that do not match the real job.
  • If the employer is a company or institution, put its stamp in the 'company/institution stamp' field next to the signature: without it the declaration may be considered incomplete. A private employer (for example, someone who hires a domestic worker) has no company stamp.
  • Attach a copy of the employer's passport or other valid ID (if the employer is a company, of the person signing for it).
  • At the top, the form has a box marked “Sello XCG 10” for the XCG 10 adhesive stamp, which the regular procedures require (as Rib'e Lugá also did while registration was open), together with a copy of the employer's ID. The company stamp (at the bottom, next to the signature) and the adhesive stamp are two different things: if the employer is a company, you need both.

Important notes

What the official rules say

• This route (Van Rechtswege declaration) is different from the 'Residence permit with family' procedure (verblijfsvergunning_bij_familia) — they are two different legal bases. Confirm which applies to your specific case with the Toelatingsorganisatie.
• These are two different legal routes, each with its own amounts. This Van Rechtswege declaration is for family members who are Dutch nationals (Art. 3 LTU, letters f and h) and for the family of consuls, military and government-seconded staff (letter g); for the family of someone coming to work, the page asks for at least XCG 1,900 gross a month for a spouse. Everyone else applies for the residence permit with family (verblijfsvergunning_bij_familia), where the minimum is XCG 1,500 if the person bringing you is Dutch and XCG 3,000 if they are a foreign national. Confirm with the Toelatingsorganisatie which one applies to you.
• No 1-year deadline. The 2006 policy (HIG, section 4.8) only allowed family reunification to be requested up to 1 year after the first arrival of the person bringing the family, and family formation up to 1 year after the wedding. On October 12, 2026 the Toelatingsorganisatie confirmed in writing that this section has been repealed since 2014, and that the applications of the family members (father, mother and children) can all be submitted at the same time.
• Confirms with legal basis the Art. 8 ECHR logic we already had documented through case law: denying a first family reunification application does not count as 'interference' with family life (because that family life in Curaçao did not yet exist). But denying a renewal of a permit already obtained through family reunification is active interference, and the government must justify it with a concrete reason (e.g. a real, proven deterioration of the financial situation compared to the first application). (Section 3.18 HIG 2006)
• If the admission of the person bringing you ends. Admission by operation of law ends on its own, without a letter or decision, when its reason ceases to exist (the appointment, the military posting or the consul's post ends; the adult Dutch national no longer has housing or means). If the admission of the person bringing you ends, yours as their spouse or minor child ends too, unless you have your own right by operation of law; a spouse's also ends with legal separation or divorce, and a child's on reaching adulthood. To stay, apply beforehand for a declaration or a permit for another reason; otherwise you have to leave Curaçao on your own. (2016 policy, sections 2.2.6 and 3.5; LTU, Art. 5)
• Working with this declaration. The Landsverordening arbeid vreemdelingen forbids having a foreign national work without a work permit (TWV) (Art. 2), but that ban does not apply to anyone admitted by operation of law under letters a, b, c, d, e, g, h or i of Art. 3 LTU (Art. 3, letter a). So, even if you are not Dutch, if you are admitted with this declaration as the spouse or minor child of a consul, a member of the military or staff posted by a government (letter g), whoever hires you does not have to apply for a TWV for as long as that admission lasts. However, conditions on practising a particular profession or business can be attached to a spouse's admission (Art. 3(6) LTU): check whether your declaration states any. If it ends and you apply for a residence permit, the rules of that permit apply. Dutch family members do not need a TWV either (Vergunningenloket in writing, October 9, 2026). The official pages of the Toelatingsorganisatie and the Vergunningenloket do not cover this case: the source is the text of the law (Curaçao consolidated text, P.B. 2025, no. 105).

What real court cases teach

• Children, only while they are minors. For a child, this declaration only requires that they be a minor and, under letter h, also that they be Dutch and that one of the parents with parental authority meets the conditions of letter f; it is valid while they are a minor and ends when they come of age (2016 policy, sections 2.2.6, 2.3 and 3.5). The rule that more than 5 years of separation between parent and child breaks the family bond belongs to the residence permit with family (HIG 2006, section 4.10), as do the two rulings that apply it (ECLI:NL:OGEAC:2018:227 and ECLI:NL:OGEAC:2018:286): they are on its page, Residence permit for family members.

Frequently asked questions