Family Reunification / Family Formation via Van Rechtswege Declaration

Who does this apply to?

• Dependent family members of an employee whose employer falls under article 1a of the LTU (companies that qualify for the special Van Rechtswege regime)
• Family members of consuls and consular staff
• Family members of military or deployed personnel

Costs

• First application: XCG 615 ≈ US$ 344
• Other costs: The same amount (XCG 615) applies equally to all 3 categories (employee, consular, military). No different renewal cost is mentioned on this specific page.
• 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 1.845). 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

Requirements

• Proof of payment of fees and charges
• 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)
• Certificate of good conduct (no more than 3 months old)
• If married: copy of marriage certificate (or its registration in Curaçao if married abroad)
• 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 and durable financial means of the main applicant (for this route: spouse, minimum XCG 1,900/month gross; children: XCG 300 to XCG 650/month depending on age)
• For consular/military personnel: if one of the child's parents is not traveling, a notarial declaration of no objection or a court ruling granting sole custody, apostilled if applicable

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 using the payment order, referencing the applicant's full name and date of birth
   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 up to 4 months for the decision (notified by email)
   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: 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 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.

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 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

• 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

• 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.
• This is NOT a website error: these are TWO DIFFERENT LEGAL ROUTES with their own statutory amounts. If your employer qualifies under article 1a of the LTU (or you are a family member of consular/military personnel), the Van Rechtswege Declaration applies to you (this procedure: XCG 1,900/month for a spouse). If not, the general Residence Permit applies to you (procedure verblijfsvergunning_bij_familia), where the amount depends on whether the guarantor is Dutch (XCG 1,500) or foreign (XCG 3,000). Confirm with the Toelatingsorganisatie exactly which route applies to your case.
• CRITICAL DEADLINE not documented on any web page: the family reunification application must be made within the FIRST YEAR from the main applicant's first entry/admission — after that year, family reunification is NO LONGER permitted. The same applies to 'gezinsvorming' (family formation via a new marriage): it must be requested within 1 year of the marriage date, or it is no longer permitted. On the main applicant's first application, the intent to bring the family within that year must be declared. (Section 4.8 and 4.9 HIG 2006)
• 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)

What real court cases teach

• Real case law: if the parent-child family bond had been broken for more than 5 years (no cohabitation) at the time of the application, the government considers it a 'de facto broken family bond' and denies reunification, even if the child was a minor during part of the separation (ECLI:NL:OGEAC:2018:227).

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 (2)

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:2018:227CuraçaoGovernment won

  Adult Haitian child, separated from his father residing in Curaçao for more than 5 years: considered a broken family bond, reunification denied.

• ECLI:NL:OGEAC:2018:286CuraçaoGovernment won

  Without ever having held a prior residence title, there is no 'interference' with the right to family life (Art. 8 ECHR); the State is not obligated to reunify the family if it can continue its life in the country of origin.

Frequently asked questions