Staying in Curacao without a Declaration of Legal Status #

As a tourist you may stay in Curaçao for a maximum of 6 months per 12 months. A 12-month period is therefore not a calendar year. Suppose you go to Curaçao in February, your 12-month period runs from February to February. It is possible that you do not intend to register as a local resident, but do want to work or stay. This is possible, provided you have a Declaration of Legality. This allows you to legally work and stay in Curaçao without registering as a resident and you do not have to worry about the 6-month rules for tourists.

Dutch citizens have the advantage that they are allowed to stay on the island as soon as they receive an email confirmation that their application for the Declaration of Legal Status has been processed. From that moment on, you are also allowed to start working. So you do not have to wait for the decision.

So, if you plan to work in Curacao (even if it is just for one day or for volunteer work) and/or stay for more than 6 months, you must apply for a Declaration of Legal Status.