How does the application work at a high level, what rights does the family member receive, how long does the status last, and how can it become independent or longer-term where officially stated?
A residence-permit application is submitted for the parents with the relevant family checklist and scanned PDF documents. The Admission Office says it has four months to decide and that a first applicant must await the decision abroad. Renewal may be submitted from four months before expiry. Under the policy effective 1 April 2026, a new permit may be requested for up to three years with each year’s fees paid in advance, and a dependent family member admitted for reunification or formation follows the principal applicant’s permit duration. A timely renewal of an earlier qualifying two-, three- or five-year permit can retain the same duration and conditions under the policy’s transition rule; a late filing after the grace period loses that accrued entitlement. Ten years of uninterrupted lawful residence is one listed ground for a separate indefinite permit, not an automatic conversion of this family status.
See recorded sources
Limits of the record- The cited documents do not establish this family member’s work rights or a route-specific way to obtain an independent permit before a separate indefinite-residence ground is met.
- Family page: General
Do you want your family members to come and live with you in Curaçao?
Then you must submit a request for a residence permit for them.
You can submit a request for your children, spouse/partner or your parents.
You must demonstrate sufficient financial funds for each family member.
- Family page: parent first application
Residence permit for parents
FIRST APPLICATION
Here you can see which documents are required to submit an application for your parents:
Proof of payment0 Fees & Retributions (show original for inspection);
Complete and signed original application form;
Copy of valid passport (if several nationalities, copy of all passports);
Copy of birth certificate1 (not older than 1 year). Show original for inspection;
Criminal background check from the last place of residence for each family member of 18 years and older (not older than 3 months). Submit original;
If married, copy of marriage certificate1. If you got married abroad, a copy of the marriage registration at the Public Affairs Department. If the couple immigrates at the same time, only the marriage certificate1 is required. (Show original for inspection);
If cohabiting, a copy of the notarial cohabitation agreement that must have been concluded in the Netherlands/BES islands, together with a proof of the unmarried/divorced/widowed status of both;
Original guarantee declaration3 completed and signed, with an adhesive stamp of XCG 10,= (the guarantee declaration must be signed by the main applicant);
Copy of current permit/ Declaration Van Rechtswege/ Declaration Niet van Toepassing of the guarantor (with the exception of individuals covered by Article 1, paragraph a LTU);
Original employer’s declaration², completed and signed by the employer with a copy of valid identification document of the employer, with an adhesive stamp of XCG 10,=;
Employee’s CRIB-number (Tax Registration Number).
If guarantor is director of a legal entity:
Copy business permit
Copy management permit
Copy extract from the Chamber of Commerce (not older than 6 months.)
CRIB-number (Tax Registration Number) of the company
If guarantor has his own company:
Copy of the business permit
Copy extract from the Chamber of Commerce (not older than 6 months.)
CRIB-number (Tax Registration Number) of the company
An original declaration from the Tax Inspectorate of a fixed taxable income of at least XCG 36.000,= from 2 years ago.
- Family page: submitting the application
SUBMITTING THE APPLICATION
Before submitting the application, make sure you have collected all the requirements. If so, the application can be submitted. All requirements must be scanned in PDF format. Click here to submit the application.
- Family page: General renewal
RENEWAL
An application for renewal can be submitted from 4 months before the expiry date.
- 2026 policy: section 4, in force 1 April 2026
4. Wijzigingen per 1 april 2026
Het bovenstaande wordt per 1 april 2026 gewijzigd, voortaan geldt het volgende:
Prinsenstraat #90 | Willemstad, Curaçao | T.: +(599) 9 733 2000 | www.immigrationcur.org
Iedere aanvrager (alle doelen, met uitzondering van kort verblijf, remote worker en verlenging
toeristisch verblijf) kan een vergunning aanvragen voor een periode van maximaal drie (3)
jaar, met dien verstande dat per aangevraagd jaar de bijbehorende leges en retributies
voorafgaand aan de behandeling van de aanvraag voldaan moeten worden (aantal jaren ×
leges en retributies).
Afhankelijke gezinsleden (in het kader van gezinshereniging of gezinsvorming) volgen de
hoofdaanvrager wat betreft de duur van de vergunning. Het is derhalve niet mogelijk dat een
gezinslid een vergunning voor drie jaar verkrijgt, terwijl de hoofdaanvrager een vergunning
voor slechts één jaar heeft. Ook hier geldt dat per aangevraagd jaar leges en retributies
verschuldigd zijn (aantal jaren × leges en retributies).
- 2026 policy: section 6
6. Verblijfsvergunning voor onbepaalde tijd
Een vergunning tot verblijf voor onbepaalde tijd wordt verleend aan de vreemdeling die
voldoet aan één van de volgende criteria:
- Tien (10) jaar onafgebroken rechtmatig verblijf in Curaçao;
- Family page: first-decision procedure
DECIDING ON YOUR APPLICATION
After the application has been submitted, the Admission Office has 4 months to take a decision on your application. You must await the decision on a first application abroad.
- 2026 policy: timely-renewal transition rule
5. Overgangsbepaling
Indien een aanvrager, bij zijn laatste vergunning voorafgaand aan de inwerkingtreding van
dit beleid, reeds een vergunning heeft verkregen voor de duur van twee, drie of vijf jaar, zal
bij een tijdige verlenging opnieuw een vergunning met dezelfde looptijd en onder dezelfde
voorwaarden worden verleend. Bij een te late indiening, na het verstrijken van de
gedoogtermijn, vervalt echter dit opgebouwde recht.