Rib'e Lugá — Temporary regularization for undocumented persons

Who does this apply to?

• Any person without valid immigration status who was in Curaçao before November 13, 2025 and is still living there currently, provided they registered by October 31, 2026, when registration closed. You must also not be a danger to public order (no criminal record) and have sufficient means of support (through a job, your own business or the family member who supports you)
• Applies regardless of how you entered: a tourist who overstayed the permitted time, or irregular entry by boat without official passage
• Applies even if you have already received a removal order (verwijderingsbeschikking) — explicitly confirmed in the official FAQ
• Does not apply for the purposes of rentier, investor, or student — only for: Employment, Own business, or Family reunification/formation

Costs

Scaled by purpose and by the number of years of permit requested (1 to 3 years):

OWN BUSINESS: 1 year only, XCG 635. The Rib'e Lugá payment order has no 2- or 3-year option for this purpose.

Plus: XCG 10 adhesive stamp on each official declaration, a guarantee deposit (waarborgsom) depending on nationality ONLY after approval, and valid local health insurance for a minimum of 1 year.

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

Decision time

A decision on each application is made within up to 6 months of submitting it; if more time is needed, the Minister of Justice announces it. The registration window has already closed, and no further extension has been announced. It originally closed 3 months after May 1, 2026 (~August 1, 2026), but it was extended to October 31, 2026 because, according to the government, part of the target group needs more time, guidance and support to complete the registration. The required entry date (before November 13, 2025) did not change. Sources: Rib'e Lugá policy (April 24, 2026) and announcement by the Ministry of Justice (August 7, 2026).

Requirements

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

• Application 100% online at www.ribeluga.cw (portal permit.immigrationcur.org/Application/RibeLuga) — until October 31, 2026, when registration closed: it could not be done by mail or on paper, and you did not need an agent/third party to submit it
• Proof of payment of fees and charges
• Passport: copy of the personal details page and the pages with entry stamps (of all your passports, if you have several nationalities). If it has expired, submit it with proof that you applied for a new one or proof of its extension; it must be valid by the time the permit is issued to you
• Birth certificate (no more than 1 year old), apostilled or legalized
• Certificate of Good Conduct (VOG) for each person aged 18 or older (no more than 3 months old), from your last place of residence
• Valid local health insurance for a minimum of 1 year, valid by the time the permit is issued to you
• Proof that you were IN Curaçao before November 13, 2025 — if you entered legally, the entry stamp in your passport is enough. If you entered irregularly (by boat, without official passage), you need documents that can be verified. Accepted, among others: money transfers in your name (Western Union, Pagadero, Moneygram or a local bank); a letter from a 'Trusted Partner' (UNHCR/ACNUR, PADF, Council of Churches, IOM, Salú pa Tur, a consulate — including a consulate general or an honorary consul --, or a Curaçao government body or a recognised educational institution); or any other evidence that objectively shows you were here. A rental contract or a statement from a private individual is not enough on its own: it counts if it can be verified, for example with bank transfers.
• Specific to the employment purpose: personal CRIB number, Employer Declaration (Werkgeversverklaring) with XCG 10 stamp and a copy of the employer's ID, Guarantee Declaration with XCG 10 stamp, Chamber of Commerce extract of the employer (no more than 6 months old), employer's CRIB
• Specific to the own business purpose: personal CRIB number and the 'Declaration of Entrepreneurial Intent' form (Verklaring Ondernemersvoornemen) with an XCG 10 stamp. Within 6 months of receiving the permit you must submit to the Toelatingsorganisatie the Chamber of Commerce registration, the company's CRIB and the establishment permit (or its application); otherwise the permit is withdrawn
• Specific to the family reunification purpose: the main applicant's Employer Declaration, with a copy of the employer's ID, and the Guarantee Declaration with a copy of the main applicant's ID, both with an XCG 10 stamp; marriage certificate (apostilled or legalised) if married; and for children: deed of recognition if applicable, proof that their legal representative has parental authority, a copy of the passport and a notarial declaration of no objection from the parent remaining abroad (or the custody ruling if only one parent has custody), and a school certificate

Steps to apply

1. Until October 31, 2026, the application was filled out online at www.ribeluga.cw, with all required documents according to your purpose (employment, own business, or family reunification). Registration closed that day and no further extension has been announced.
2. The Toelatingsorganisatie evaluates your application.
   How to get this done

   This phase is internal evaluation — it requires no action from you, only waiting. It can take up to 6 months (different from the registration deadline, which expired on October 31, 2026). You can write to info@immigrationcur.org if you need to update your contact email.

3. You receive a decision (approved or denied). If denied: you can object/appeal within 6 weeks under the Administrative Justice Act (LAR).
   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.

   Objecting does not on its own stop your 6 weeks to leave: to stay while it is decided, the court has to suspend the decision or grant you a provisional measure (voorlopige voorziening; LAR, Art. 85), so talk to a lawyer first. If the refusal becomes final (you did not object in time, or you lost the objection or the appeal), the law says the leges are refunded, but not the retributie: for 1 year, XCG 600 of the 655 for work or family and XCG 580 of the 635 for own business (Eilandsverordening leges, Art. 32b). You apply with the refund form (the 'Fees, deposit and refunds' page); after 6 weeks you can ask whether it is ready and book an appointment to collect the voucher. Still to be confirmed: whether the Toelatingsorganisatie applies this in the same way to Rib'e Lugá, and how to apply if you have already left Curaçao.

4. If approved: you pay the guarantee deposit (waarborgsom, amount depending on your nationality) within 3 months of the decision date, into the Landsontvanger's account, not the one for the fees. Amounts by country and the form are on the fees, deposit and refunds page.
   How to get this done

   Belastingdienst Curaçao (Tax Office): for your personal CRIB number and settling taxes on final departure

   Belastingdienst, Regentesselaan z/n, Willemstad, Curaçao — Google Maps

   Monday to Friday 08:00–12:00 and 14:00–15:30 (CRIB counter hours, confirmed in writing by the Belastingdienst on October 9, 2026)

   +5999 461 5000

   info.belastingdienst@gobiernu.cw

   You can apply for your personal CRIB number in person at the counter on the Regentesselaan. A valid passport is enough: you do not need to be registered at Kranshi or to have a sédula or a permit (Belastingdienst, written reply of October 9, 2026). You can also request it by email at info.belastingdienst@gobiernu.cw, with a photo of both sides of your passport or sédula, your name and your home address; the number is sent by email (official CRIB page). The Pater Euwensweg 9 office no longer serves the public.

   It is paid at Maduro & Curiel's Bank (MCB), account 23329507, in the name of the Landsontvanger, with the official deposit form (model form 920). Do not use the Toelatingsorganisatie's fee accounts (31967908 at MCB, 36286001 at Banco di Caribe): according to that form, the Toelatingsorganisatie cannot refund a deposit that was not paid to the Landsontvanger. If you pay by transfer, take the proof to the Landsontvanger (Tax Office) to get the original receipt (official fees, deposit and refunds page): that is the proof of the deposit you are asked for on the day you collect the permit.

5. You take out local health insurance for a minimum of 1 year.
   How to get this done

   It must be a local policy valid for a minimum of 1 year, in effect by the date the permit is issued to you — take it out with any insurer operating in Curaçao before your issuance appointment.

6. You schedule an appointment to pick up your temporary 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.

   You will not receive a summons letter: the Toelatingsorganisatie has not sent one since 2016. Your decision (beschikking) states the date until which the permit is valid, and you must collect it before that date; otherwise you have to submit a new application and pay the fees again (Toelatingsorganisatie, in writing, October 9, 2026). And with Rib'e Lugá, once the registration has closed, it is not known whether you could apply again. Book the appointment as soon as you have the deposit and the insurance.

7. You present the original documents on the day of issuance.
   How to get this done

   On the day of issuance you must bring the ORIGINALS (not copies): valid passport, apostilled birth certificate, and the Certificate of Good Conduct (VOG) — without the originals they will not give you the stamp.

8. You register with the Kranshi (civil registry) — you need to schedule a separate appointment.
   How to get this done

   Kranshi (Population Register) — Publieke Zaken, Afdeling Gegevensverwerking

   Roodeweg 42, Otrobanda, Willemstad, Curaçao — Google Maps

   Monday to Thursday 08:00–15:00, Friday 08:00–12:00, for all Publieke Zaken services (confirmed in writing by Publieke Zaken on October 13, 2026). When needed, extra time slots are opened for some services, not only for the sédula; they do not say on which days or at what time.

   +5999 434-1600

   info.bsbv@gobiernu.cw

   Since September 7, 2026 you need an appointment to register: without one, the registration is not processed. You book it online at sita.gobiernu.cw; the Loket Digital also gives the Kranshi's phone number (+5999 434-1600) and email (info.bsbv@gobiernu.cw). Underage children must also attend the registration. The sédula appointment is separate: book it at sita.gobiernu.cw, on (+5999) 433-3123 or at the Vergunningenloket counter (Bentana di Informashon, Saliña 127, unit 3-16, Eurobuilding). Since March 9, 2026 the Kranshi serves the public at several locations: when you book, ask which one you should go to.

   What to bring that day:

   • Valid passport
   • The printed residence permit decision (beschikking) and the stamp in your passport; the permit must be valid for at least 4 more months on that day
   • Exact address in Curaçao (street and number): rental/purchase contract or written permission from the owner
   • ROP address form if it is a new building, a plot without a number or a new street
   • Proof of deregistration (Bewijs van Uitschrijving), no more than 6 months old, if you come from Aruba, Bonaire, Saba, Sint Eustatius, Sint Maarten or the Netherlands
   • Original birth certificate, no more than 1 year old and legalized or apostilled, if you were born abroad
   • Proof of marital status (Bewijs van Burgerlijke Staat), no more than 6 months old (if over 18)
9. If your purpose is employment: your employer must go to SOAW to apply for the work permit (tewerkstellingsvergunning). The procedure is the normal one, and the vacancy notice (vacaturemelding) is required when the application is submitted (the Vergunningenloket confirmed it in writing on October 8, 2026).
   How to get this done

   Vergunningenloket, intake department: where the work permit (TWV) application is submitted once Centrum voor Arbeid has approved the vacancy

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

   Monday to Thursday 08:00–15:00, Friday 08:00–12:00 (TWV applications)

   +5999 433-3123

   WhatsApp: +5999 433-3127

   Infovergunningenloket@gobiernu.cw

   No appointment is needed to submit a TWV application: you take it to the intake counter with the documents on the requirements list and the payment, once Centrum voor Arbeid has approved the vacancy. The Vergunningenloket only receives the application; the SOAW ministry assesses and decides it (Vergunningenloket, in writing, October 9, 2026). It is the government's general permit counter at Saliña 127 (Eurobuilding); it is not the Toelatingsorganisatie, which since November 2025 has been at Prinsenstraat 90 (Punda).

Downloadable forms

Rib'e Lugá registration closed on October 31, 2026: these forms were for filing the application and remain here for reference only. The deposit still applies: if you are approved, you pay it to collect the permit.

• Rib'e Lugá online application (portal)
  How to fill out this form

  Aanvraag indienen Rib'e Lugá / Submit Rib'e Lugá application: the Toelatingsorganisatie's ACT-FMS Online portal (the official FAQ links to it as www.ribeluga.cw, although that address takes you to the Rib'e Lugá page on immigrationcur.org).

  Rib'e Lugá registration closed on October 31, 2026: this guide stays here as a record of what the application looked like. It was not a .docx: it was filled in and submitted online, with the documents scanned. This guide is based on the portal's own texts and the official Rib'e Lugá pages, checked on September 24, 2026 without submitting any application. The order of the screens may vary slightly depending on the purpose you choose.

  Section 1 — Choose your purpose: 'Main purpose' is already set to Rib'e Lugá. Under 'Purpose' you pick ONE of four options: Work; Own business; Family reunification/formation for Dutch citizens; or Family reunification/formation with a foreign national. Family reunification is split in two depending on whether your family member in Curaçao is Dutch or a foreign national. Then press NEXT. The portal asks for a reCAPTCHA check ('verify that you are human').

  Section 2 — Personal details: Surname(s) and first names exactly as in your passport; sex; marital status; date of birth (dd-mm-yyyy); city and country of birth; nationality as shown in the passport. From the passport: number (tell the zero apart from the letter O), date and place of issue and expiry date. Your address in Curaçao: street, number and flat if any (the address abroad is only filled in if you still live abroad). At least one phone number; if you have none, you can give someone else's as a contact. An email address you check: the receipt and the decision are sent there. If you ever filed another application with Immigration, use the search icon next to the surname and pick your name from the list instead of typing it again. The CRV/Navas number only if you have had a permit in Curaçao before.

  Section 3 — Your stay and arrival date: Questions about since when you have been in Curaçao. The portal has a part to verify your arrival date and asks which institution on its list can confirm it. Enter the real date and have the proof you will upload ready: the entry stamp or, if you entered irregularly, remittances in your name or a letter from a Trusted Partner. The date must match that proof.

  Section 4 — Family members (optional): The portal asks whether you want to enter your family members' details. That only tells them your relatives have registered or will register: it is NOT an application for them. Each family member who wants a permit needs their own application.

  Section 5 — Employer and guarantor: For Work (and for family reunification, which also asks for the employer's declaration and the guarantee declaration). If it is a company: it is searched by its trade name as shown in the Chamber of Commerce extract; have the Chamber of Commerce number, the company's CRIB, its legal form, address and the name of the authorised representative as on their ID card or passport ready. If it is a person (for example, you work in a household as a domestic worker): their surname and first name as in their ID, their ID card or passport number and their personal CRIB. About the job: your occupation or position, the gross salary, the pay period and the currency. Neither the employer nor the guarantor can be the same person as you.

  Section 6 — Mandatory documents: You upload one file per document on the list, and the portal will not let you continue if a mandatory one is missing. Maximum 10 MB per file; if one arrives damaged, you are asked to upload it again. For Work: proof of entry before Nov 13, 2025, proof of payment, copy of the passport, certificate of good conduct (VOG, from age 18, at most 3 months old), apostilled birth certificate (at most 1 year old), your CRIB number, the employer's declaration with a copy of the employer's ID and an XCG 10 adhesive stamp, the guarantee declaration with an XCG 10 stamp, the employer's Chamber of Commerce extract (at most 6 months old) and the employer's CRIB. For Own business, the declaration of business intent, also with an XCG 10 adhesive stamp, replaces the employer's documents. For family reunification add the marriage certificate if applicable and, for each minor, their birth certificate, consent from the parent who is abroad and proof of custody if applicable.

  Section 7 — Motivation: A space to explain your case in your own words; you can also upload a document. Be short and specific: since when you have been in Curaçao, what work you do or what business you will open, and your family situation. Everything has to match your documents.

  Section 8 — Statistical questions: A survey of about 40 multiple-choice questions, some mandatory, in eight blocks: personal details; reasons for migrating (why you left your country, why Curaçao, how you arrived and whether you had valid documents on arrival); education and languages; work and income (sector, type of contract or informal work, hours, monthly income in ranges); housing and health (where you live, how much rent you pay, with how many people, whether you have health insurance); the cut-off date (whether you already lived here before Nov 13, 2025 and which institution can confirm it: Salu pa Tur, Council of Churches, employer, school, NGO or none); safety and integration (whether you feel safe, whether you suffered exploitation, threats, violence, trafficking or discrimination, whether your children go to school); and your plans. Health questions have a 'Prefer not to say' option. Answer truthfully and consistently: your year of arrival must fit your proof of presence.

  Section 9 — Review and save: The portal makes you go through all the steps before saving. If you correct something, you come back to this step to save again. If you leave the page idle for a while, the session closes by itself: have everything ready before you start.

  Section 10 — Payment and submission: Payment was made at Maduro & Curiel's Bank, account 31967908, in the name of the Ministry of Finance for the Toelatingsorganisatie, with the first name and surname as in the passport as the reference (the Rib'e Lugá payment order also asked for the date of birth). The official FAQ also accepted Banco di Caribe, account 36286001. From abroad: SWIFT MCBKCWCU, and the full amount had to arrive (fees and exchange costs were for the payer). Then the proof was uploaded and the date, payment method and receipt number were filled in. Anyone who had not paid yet could save the application and pay later (the portal's online payment only appeared once it was saved), and while payment was pending the application was not processed: if yours was still pending at the closing, ask in writing at info@ribeluga.cw before paying. On submission, a PDF receipt arrived by email: if you have it, keep it. It proves you submitted the application, but it is not a permit and does not allow you to stay.

  Tips

  • Everything had to be ready before opening the portal: every document scanned and legible (10 MB maximum), the proof of payment and the employer's or guarantor's details. The session closed after a period of inactivity.
  • Registration closed on October 31, 2026.
  • While registration was open, IOM (Hoogstraat 18-22, WhatsApp +5999 665-8644, ribaelugasupport@gmail.com) helped people fill it in and submit it for free. Apart from the official fees, there was never any need to pay an intermediary.
  • Source: the texts of the portal permit.immigrationcur.org and the official Rib'e Lugá pages (immigrationcur.org/en/ribe-luga/), reviewed on September 24, 2026 (the English version of that page, on October 26, 2026).
• Guarantee declaration DOCX · 641 KB · in Dutch
  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. At the top there is a box marked “Sello/Zegel XCG 10” for the XCG 10 adhesive stamp.

  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.

  Tips

  • If the guarantor is a private individual or the owner of a sole proprietorship and is married, their spouse also signs the declaration and attaches a copy of a valid ID (the annex to the application form requires it); without that signature the guarantee is incomplete.
  • The commitment covers 'legal or illegal' stay: the guarantor is financially responsible even if the foreign national ends up without legal status, including the cost of the journey out of Curaçao, also in case of removal.
  • At the top, the form has a box marked “Sello XCG 10”: that is where the XCG 10 adhesive stamp required by the procedure page goes. Buy it before signing; without it the declaration is incomplete.
• Employer's declaration DOCX · 646 KB · in Dutch
  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.
• Rib'e Lugá payment order DOCX · 5.6 MB · in Dutch
  How to fill out this form

  Betalingsopdracht Rib'e Lugá

  Rib'e Lugá registration closed on October 31, 2026, and since November 1 no new applications can be filed: this order was for paying the fees before filing. If you did not register, there is nothing to pay; if you started your application before the closing and your payment was still pending, ask in writing at info@ribeluga.cw before paying. It was the programme's own payment order, different from the general 'Payment order': it only has three purposes (own business, 1 year only; work and family reunification, 1, 2 or 3 years, with the total for each duration) and its own instruction for the payment reference (name and date of birth).

  Section single — Applicant's details and choice of purpose/duration: The first name and surname were written in capitals (mandatory: only the applicant's name and date of birth could appear as the reference on the bank transfer). Then the box for the purpose was ticked (Own business, Work or Family reunification), together with the box for the number of years of permit requested (1, 2 or 3; Own business only allowed 1 year, with no option for 2 or 3).

  Own business: 1 year (only option)	XCG 635
  Work: 1 year	XCG 655
  Work: 2 years	XCG 1,270
  Work: 3 years	XCG 1,885
  Family reunification/formation: 1 year	XCG 655
  Family reunification/formation: 2 years	XCG 1,280
  Family reunification/formation: 3 years	XCG 1,905

  Tips

  • Unlike other procedures, for 'Own business' under Rib'e Lugá you COULD NOT ask for 2 or 3 years at once: only 1 year.
  • Payment was made at Maduro & Curiel's Bank (account 31967908) or Banco di Caribe (account 36286001), both in the name of the Toelatingsorganisatie, as confirmed by the official Rib'e Lugá FAQ.
  • The receipt was uploaded together with the rest of the application on the portal permit.immigrationcur.org; if you paid, keep it.
• Guarantee deposit DOCX · 629 KB · in Dutch Fill it in here
  How to fill out this form

  Modelformulier 920 Betalingsopdracht Waarborgsom / Form 920 Guarantee deposit: both versions are entirely in Dutch.

  On top of the normal fees (leges and retributies), the law requires a refundable GUARANTEE DEPOSIT (waarborgsom). The amount depends on your NATIONALITY/country of origin: it is not a fixed amount like the other payments. You pay it ONLY after your permit has been approved, never before.

  Section 1 — Your details box (in capitals): At the top, in the box, write in block capitals (Blokletters): surname and first name (Naam, Voornaam), FMSCRV number (FMSCRVnr.), date of birth (Geboortedatum) and the deposit amount (Bedrag Waarborgsom), the one for your country in the table.

  Section 2 — Select your country of origin: Tick the box for the country or region of your nationality: the deposit amount is already printed next to each country in the form's table.

  Tips

  • Do NOT pay this deposit in advance: the form itself warns that it is paid only AFTER you receive a POSITIVE decision (Toelatingsbeschikking), never before.
  • You have 3 months from the date of the decision to pay it.
  • It is paid into a DIFFERENT bank account from the regular fees: account 23329507 (MCB) in the name of the 'Landsontvanger' (national tax collector), NOT the Toelatingsorganisatie's account 31967908 used for the leges and retributies.
  • For children under 10, the deposit is 50% of the amount in the table.
  • It is a REFUNDABLE deposit, but only you (or your legal representative) can claim it back: keep the proof of payment for that future procedure.
• Declaration of business intent DOCX · 648 KB · in Dutch
  How to fill out this form

  Verklaring Ondernemersvoornemen: ONLY available in Dutch, with no official Spanish or English version; this guide translates and explains its actual content.

  Rib'e Lugá registration closed on October 31, 2026: this declaration was uploaded with the application and is no longer filed; if you signed it, what you declared still applies to your permit. It was a one-page sworn declaration that Rib'e Lugá (own-business purpose) asked of anyone applying for residence to start a sole proprietorship while the business was not yet operating: you declared your genuine intention to set it up and the conditions you accepted. The regular own-business procedures do not ask for it.

  Section single — Applicant's details and declaration: It was filled in with: first name, surname, sex, address, passport number, date and country of birth, nationality, phone, email. Then, by signing, you declared: (1) that you have a real and concrete intention to set up and run a sole proprietorship in Curaçao, and understand that this intention is the basis of your permit; (2) that you accept the permit is conditional on actually starting the business and meeting all local legal requirements; (3) that for the NEXT renewal you must submit: a Chamber of Commerce extract of the registered business (no older than 3 months), a valid establishment permit, CRIB number, income tax return and bank statement (no older than 3 months); (4) that if those documents are missing, the permit will NOT be renewed and you must leave Curaçao; (5) that if the permit is withdrawn or not renewed, you must leave Curaçao within 6 weeks of the decision becoming final. It carried an XCG 10 adhesive stamp in the 'Zegel' box (official Rib'e Lugá list, own business purpose).

  Tips

  • ⚠️ This declaration is a formal promise with real consequences: signing it and then NOT actually opening the business (or not obtaining the documents required for the renewal) means losing the permit and having only 6 weeks to leave the country.
  • To renew, you will have to show with objective, verifiable data that the business generates stable, regular and sufficient income: a statement from the Tax Office or copies of your sales tax (omzetbelasting) returns. Keep them from the first month.
  • In Rib'e Lugá it was uploaded, with its XCG 10 stamp, together with the online application on the portal (permit.immigrationcur.org): the general VTTV form was not used there. If you are approved, Rib'e Lugá also requires that, no later than 6 months after receiving the permit, you submit the Chamber of Commerce registration, the company's CRIB number and the business licence (or its application).

Important notes

What the official rules say

• 🆓 Official free help to register: while registration was open (until October 31, 2026), the Toelatingsorganisatie itself pointed to the IOM (International Organization for Migration) as a Trusted Partner, which explained the process, helped people gather the documents and fill in and submit the application, at no charge. Hoogstraat 18–22 (Triangle) · phone and WhatsApp +5999 665-8644 · ribaelugasupport@gmail.com. It has not been announced whether the IOM is still helping after the closing. And if someone now offers, for money, to “get you in” to Rib'e Lugá, be wary: registration has closed and no further extension has been announced.
• 📞 Rib'e Lugá's own contact (separate from the Toelatingsorganisatie's general one): phone +5999 511-9984 (also WhatsApp, text only) and info@ribeluga.cw. For questions about the registration, this is the most direct route.
• 🔑 Critical if Rib'e Lugá is refused: you have 6 weeks to leave the country voluntarily. The policy does not say from which day they count, and the Rib'e Lugá team, whom we asked in writing, replied on October 26, 2026 only that there are six weeks to leave, without saying from when: the safe choice is to count them from the date of the refusal letter. The deadline is personal: it does not depend on the closing of the registration. You can object to and appeal the refusal, as with any decision.
• In addition, the Minister of Justice guarantees that no formal removal order (verwijderingsbeschikking) will be issued against anyone who leaves voluntarily before January 1, 2027: leaving on time avoids that order.
• ⚠️ Watch out for the gap between the two deadlines: if your letter is dated November 20, 2026 or later, your 6 weeks would end on or after January 1, 2027 (with a letter dated November 19, the last day is December 31), and the official text does not say which one prevails: we asked the Toelatingsorganisatie in writing on October 9, 2026, and the Rib'e Lugá team, which replied on October 26, 2026 without clarifying it. If that is your case, ask in writing before the deadline lapses, and do not assume you have the full 6 weeks. (Source: full text of the Rib'e Lugá policy, p. 10, section 'Unit vreemdelingen toezicht en grensbewaking'.)
• ⏰ Closed: the deadline to register expired on October 31, 2026 (it had been extended from the original deadline of ~August 1, 2026), the fixed deadline that the Rib'e Lugá team confirmed to us in writing on October 26, 2026, and no further extension or reopening of the registration has been announced. If you registered, your application is still in process; if not, what changes for you is in Rib'e Lugá after October 31.
• Until registration closed on October 31, 2026, this program explicitly accepted people who had already received a removal order (verwijderingsbeschikking) — it was the only pathway covered in this guide where that did not automatically disqualify you.
• It is a temporary program (lasting 1 year in total) designed specifically to provide a way out for those who are undocumented — it does not replace the normal residence procedures (Van Rechtswege, regular work permit, etc.), it is a parallel and more accessible pathway, but only for those who registered by October 31, 2026.
• People legalized through this pathway cannot vote.
• Health insurance is also required in the normal procedures to collect the permit: the 2006 policy requires every permit to have insurance valid for 1 year, from the SVB or from a private insurer accredited by the government (HIG 2006, 3.8 and 3.12). Rib'e Lugá expressly asks for it to be local and valid for at least 1 year.
• If you entered irregularly (by boat), the proof of presence before Nov 13, 2025 must be verifiable: transfers in your name (from a money transfer company or a local bank), a letter from a Trusted Partner or other objective evidence. A rental contract or a statement from a private individual is not enough on its own: it counts if it can be verified, for example with bank transfers.
• The decision deadline for your application (not the registration one) is up to 6 months, extendable. The deadline that expired on October 31, 2026 was only for registering/submitting your application, not for receiving a response.
• For the 'Own business' purpose: the first application only grants a 1-year permit (you cannot request 2 or 3 years at once). Only upon renewal can you request up to 3 years.
• Proof of means of support for the first application is simpler than in the normal procedures: the Employer Declaration is enough, with at least the legal minimum wage per adult, or the Declaration of Entrepreneurial Intent if it is your own business. (The XCG 36,000 asked in other procedures is something else: the employer's taxable income when the employer is a private person or a sole proprietorship.)
• 🧒 Policy favourable to minors: the means requirement is, in principle, set aside for minors; their applications are, in principle, handled with priority; and if the parent has no criminal record or other serious risks to public order, their application 'will in principle not be rejected'. Children aged 18 to 27 who belong to the family can also qualify if they are still studying at a school or recognized programme in Curaçao and depend financially on their parents.

• On the day you collect the permit (always by appointment) you must go in person, because the permit is a stamp in your passport, and bring:

  1. a valid passport
  2. proof of the guarantee deposit
  3. proof of local health insurance valid for at least 1 year
  4. the original birth certificate with apostille or legalization
  5. the original VOG (submitted by those aged 18 or over), and anything else your decision lists.
• Own business: No later than 6 months after receiving the permit you must submit the company's Chamber of Commerce registration, the business licence (or its application) and the company's CRIB number; otherwise the permit is withdrawn. To renew, you must also show with objective, verifiable data that the business generates stable, regular and sufficient income, with a statement from the Tax Office or copies of your sales tax (omzetbelasting) returns.
• Family reunification:

  Official list of who qualifies as a dependent family member under this purpose:

  1. spouse of the main applicant
  2. child under 18
  3. student and financially dependent child aged 18 to 27.

  Also, a condition not previously mentioned: the main applicant must already have (or qualify for) their own residence permit and demonstrate sufficient means of livelihood — the family member's application depends on the main applicant meeting this first.

• Family reunification: More granular document checklist than previously documented: copy of the specific family member's passport (not the main applicant's), VOG for those 18+, apostilled birth certificate, Employer Declaration + Guarantee Declaration of the main applicant. If married: apostilled marriage certificate. If a child: proof of recognition/guardianship/parental authority (apostilled); if one parent remains abroad: copy of their passport + notarized declaration of no objection; if only one parent has custody: copy of the court custody ruling; and school enrollment certificate.
• Collecting the permit: Clarification: the birth certificate and the VOG presented on the day of picking up the permit must be originals, not copies (unlike other documents, which do accept copies). The permit is issued as a stamp in the passport, not a separate document.
• Collecting the permit:

  Later step not previously detailed: after picking up the permit, you must schedule another separate appointment to register with the Kranshi (civil/population registry), bringing:

  1. passport with the Toelatingsorganisatie stamp
  2. the printed decision/beschikking
  3. original birth certificate (no more than 1 year old)
  4. the exact address in Curaçao (street and number)
  5. proof of address (permission from the head of household, notarial deed, rental contract, or building permit)
• Collecting the permit: Then, if 12 years or older, you must schedule a third appointment to obtain the Sédula (identity card), bringing a valid passport and cash or a debit card to pay for it.
• ⚠️ Very recent change: as of September 7, 2026, Kranshi requires a mandatory prior appointment to register — without an appointment, they will not process the registration (previously you could go without one). You book the appointment online at sita.gobiernu.cw; the Loket Digital also gives the Kranshi's phone number (+5999 434-1600) and email (info.bsbv@gobiernu.cw).
• Health insurance: while your application is being processed (without a permit yet) you cannot use the public system (SVB/BVZ), which is only for those who already have residency. In Rib'e Lugá, to collect the permit you need local health insurance valid for at least 1 year. The US$15,000 of cover that is sometimes quoted is the minimum the Dutch government asks of tourists to enter, not a permit rule.
• Family: if the main applicant's permit ends, the family members' permits end too, and a family member cannot receive a longer permit than the main applicant's.

What real court cases teach

• Precedent: the predecessor policy to Rib'e Lugá ("Integrashon Responsabel", 2021) also waived the requirement to wait abroad, but 10 people who used it to apply for a permit as self-employed workers were refused, because that exemption did not cover the other requirements (e.g., the establishment permit). A first-instance judge sided with them in 2022, but the Joint Court of Justice overturned that ruling in 2024 (ECLI:NL:OGHACMB:2024:22). Lesson: qualifying for Rib'e Lugá does not exempt you from meeting all the other requirements of your purpose (employment/business/family), not just the entry-date one.

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

Frequently asked questions