NetherlandsWorldwide

Short-stay Caribbean visa

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If you want to stay in the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom for 90 days or less, you may need a short-stay visa. Find out more about short-stay Caribbean visas.

What is a short-stay Caribbean visa?

A short-stay Caribbean visa lets you travel to and between the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, St Eustatius and St Maarten). A short-stay Caribbean visa lets you stay in the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom for a maximum of 90 days within a 180-day period. If you wish to stay longer than 90 days, you must apply for a residence permit.

Attention: A short-stay Caribbean visa is not valid for travel to the European part of the Netherlands or to any other Schengen area country.

Do I need a Caribbean visa?

Not everyone needs a visa to visit the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom. This depends on a number of factors, including your nationality. In most cases, you do not need a visa to transit through the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom or if you are travelling on a cruise ship.

Check whether you need a visa

How do I apply for a short-stay Caribbean visa?

How and where you apply for a visa depends on the country you are in. Enter your country of residence to see where you can apply and which documents you need for your application.

Find out how to apply for a short-stay Caribbean visa

Attention: Will you be travelling to Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, St Eustatius or St Maarten more than once in the next 4 years? Check whether you meet the conditions for the Caribbean Carpet Programme. If so, you can apply for a Caribbean visa more easily. Find out if you can register for the Caribbean Carpet Programme.

Additional information

How often you can travel to the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom depends on the type of visa you have:

  • A single-entry Caribbean visa allows you to enter the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom once.
  • A multiple-entry Caribbean visa allows you to enter multiple times.

The amount of time you can stay on any one island varies.

Aruba

Your visa states how long you can stay in Aruba. The maximum is 180 consecutive days within a 365-day period. But it may be shorter for you.

Curaçao

You can stay in Curaçao for a maximum of 30 consecutive days. Do you want to stay for more than 30 days but fewer than 90 days? Read more about extending your visa after your arrival on the website of the admission authority (Toelatingsorganisatie) for Curaçao.

Bonaire, Saba, St Eustatius and St Maarten

You can stay in Bonaire, Saba, St Eustatius and St Maarten for a maximum of 90 consecutive days in a 180-day period.

If your application for a short-stay Caribbean visa was rejected, you may be able to lodge an objection. This depends on the country you applied for a visa for.

  • If your visa for St Maarten was rejected, you cannot lodge an objection.
  • If your visa for one of the other Caribbean countries was rejected, the rejection letter explains how you can lodge an objection.

A short-stay Caribbean visa does not permit you to do paid work. If you want to work, you must have a work permit. For more information, contact the local authorities.

Contact the local authorities in the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom