Do I need a residence permit?
If you want to stay in the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom for longer than 90 days, you will normally need a residence permit.
If you are a Dutch or US national, you will only need a residence permit if you wish to stay longer than 180 days.
Work permit
If you want to work during your stay, you must also hold a work permit. For more information, contact the local authorities.
Not valid for the European part of the Netherlands
Your residence permit for the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom is not valid for the European part of the Netherlands.
How do I apply for a residence permit?
You cannot apply for a residence permit yourself. You will need a sponsor. This could be your partner or employer, for instance. Your sponsor must apply to the local authorities on Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, St Eustatius or St Maarten.
If your residence permit application is approved
Your sponsor will be informed by letter of the decision on your application. If your application has been approved, you can collect your permit in the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom. To collect this permit, you may need a long-stay visa.
Do I need a visa to collect my residence permit?
You do not need a visa if you are a citizen of one of the countries whose nationals are exempted from the visa requirement. This includes visitors from the United States or European Union countries. There are also several other situations where a visa is not required for the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom.
Applying for a long-stay Caribbean visa
If you want to apply for a visa, how and where you do so depends on the country you are in.