US citizens in the Dutch Caribbean
It’s not easy finding correct and accurate information about what needs to be done before you can relocate to what is historically known as 'Dutch West Indies'. Sources are often unreliable or contradictory. Besides finding your way around the necessary paperwork and legal obligations, other activities such as finding a house to live in, insurances and shipping your belongings can be strenuous for an outsider from Curacao.
About Curacao
Curacao is a Dutch island in the Caribbean that gained the status of an autonomous country since October 10th, 2010 within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. With an average temperature of 27,8 C, lots of sunshine, and little rain, Curacao has a tropical climate. The population counts over 150,000 people from about 100 nationalities. Dutch, English and Papiamento are official languages, but also Spanish is commonly used. The BES-islands (Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba) obtained the status of so-called 'special municipalities' within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
US citizens have ‘easy access’ to the Dutch Caribbean
You may not be familiar with specific the regulations and the advantages, but as a US citizen, relocating to the Caribbean islands is easier than you might think, certainly compared to other foreign (i.e. non-Dutch citizens) nationalities.
Immigration implies handling specific document requirements, applying for permits and taking out insurances. Different conditions apply to citizens from various countries.
However, US citizens can benefit from the DAFT (Dutch-American Friendship Treaty), an agreement signed in 1956 by both the American and the Dutch governments. The treaty enables US citizens to relocate to Curacao and the BES-islands under more or less the same conditions as Dutch citizens.
Because Curacao once belonged to The Netherlands and the BES-islands still are Dutch public bodies, the Dutch, as well as American citizens, requires a specific 'declaration of law'. After the requirements are met they will be granted indefinite admission (citizens from any other country will generally only receive a residence permit for one year if the requirements are met). For USA residents, even Canada is a more difficult country to apply for immigration.
Are there any restrictions for US citizens?
Yes, there certainly are restrictions in case you cannot meet the requirements. Depending on your personal situation and details, additional permit applications may also be necessary.
In addition, we must note that we regularly receive questions and remarks about misconceptions regarding texts on the web or other media. Relevant information is often omitted, thus (for some reason) misleading to the reader - such as the one below that is highly questionable;
[...] U.S. citizens have the right to be admitted automatically in Curaçao [...] On June 1st 2015 the Curaçao Immigration Authority has officially adapted its immigration requirements for U.S. citizens in accordance with the DAFT and the judgment of the Joint Court of Justice. U.S. citizens 'no longer need to apply for residence and working permits'. U.S. citizens may invest, work and live in the Dutch Caribbean [...]
At first sight, it seems like there are no requirements at all, and you could just relocate to the Dutch Caribbean to live and work there. This is not correct at all. US citizens do not require to obtain a separate work and residence permit (as it applies to all other foreign nationals). Legally spoken, the ‘permit’ may more likely be called a ‘declaration’. The fact remains there are requirements and restrictions for US citizens too before they are allowed to work and stay. In other words, it has the characteristics of a permit (especially for the layman).
Experienced in relocating US citizens to the Dutch Caribbean
We help relocating US citizens to the Caribbean constantly. Immigration demands a distinctive procedure; you need to follow the right steps, in the correct order. We are familiar with the regulations and the opportunities of the Caribbean. That is why you can consider ‘Na Kaminda' the immigration partner for US citizens!
Our services in the field of immigration offer full support in the preparation, submission, process monitoring and finalizing the application and obtaining of your work and residence permit. We also assist in obtaining your identity card, the so called 'sedula', after your admission has been completed.
In a personalized digital file, we will provide a precise list of documents required for the application. This list is tailor-made and may vary from person to person, depending on your background and plans.
We are constantly renewing and expanding our website where you can find lots of information about the Caribbean Islands in general, interesting links, and our immigration services, such as: