Visa & Entry Requirements
Curaçao sets its own entry rules, separate from the Schengen Area, and official sources disagree on the maximum stay. Use this page for the outline, then confirm your own case with the official sources below.
Three checks before you book a flight to Curaçao
US, Canadian, UK, Dutch and EU citizens are on the Dutch government's visa-exempt list for short visits. Your passport must have been issued within the previous ten years and stay valid for the whole trip. Every international visitor must also complete the Digital Immigration Card within seven days before departure. Treat the official links below as the final check before you fly.
Official Sources To Verify Now
Curaçao Digital Immigration Card (Official Portal)
The official portal for the Digital Immigration (DI) card, which all international visitors must complete within seven days before departure. Residents of Curaçao are exempt.
Open official source →
U.S. State Department: Curaçao Travel Information
U.S. guidance for Curaçao: visa-free stays of 180 days or less for US citizens, the return-ticket and proof-of-funds conditions, and the consulate on +5999 433 2200.
Open official source →
UK Government: Curaçao Entry Requirements
UK government advice for British nationals: up to 90 days in a calendar year without a visa, a passport valid for the duration of the stay, and the digital immigration card.
Open official source →
Visa-Free Entry for Tourism
Curaçao is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands but is not in the Schengen Area, so it sets its own entry rules. US, Canadian, UK, Dutch and EU citizens are on the Dutch government's list of nationalities that do not need a visa. Official sources give different maximum stays: the Dutch government's NetherlandsWorldwide site says 90 days in any 180-day period (180 consecutive days in any 365-day period for Dutch and US nationals), the Curaçao Tourist Board says 30 consecutive days and up to 90 days in 365, and UK government advice gives British visitors 90 days in a calendar year. The local authorities can admit you for a shorter period than the maximum, so ask immigration before planning a long stay.
No visa
For many tourist nationalities
90 days in 180
Dutch government figure; other sources differ
DI card
Online, within 7 days before departure
Passport Requirements
- The Dutch government requires a passport issued no more than ten years ago and valid for the whole of your stay, and UK guidance says the same about validity. Canada tells holders of a regular Canadian passport that it must be valid for at least six months after the date they expect to leave Curaçao. A US passport card is not valid for international air travel.
- Carry a return or onward ticket: the US State Department lists it among the entry requirements, and the Dutch government asks for proof that you can return or travel on
- Have a hotel reservation or an invitation ready as proof of the reason for your stay, plus proof of funds: the Dutch government gives US$150 to 200 per person per day for a hotel stay and US$100 when staying with family. It also lists medical or travel insurance covering at least US$15,000 in medical expenses
- A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required if you are coming from a country listed as a transmission risk, according to UK government advice for Curaçao.
Arrival at Hato Curaçao International Airport
Flights land at Hato Curaçao International Airport (CUR), which official aeronautical data places 4.5 nautical miles northwest of Willemstad. Before you travel you must complete the online Digital Immigration (DI) card: the official portal requires it of all international visitors within seven days before departure and exempts residents of Curaçao. UK government advice tells British travelers to complete it 48 hours before they arrive. The Curaçao Tourist Board says the card is required per person and per trip, and that you should have the submitted form with you digitally or as a printout.
What to have ready at Hato immigration
- A passport issued within the last ten years and valid for your whole stay
- Your return or onward ticket and a hotel reservation or invitation
- Your submitted DI card, on your phone or printed
- Proof of sufficient funds and of medical or travel insurance
Extending Your Stay
The local authorities set your permitted stay on arrival, and it can be shorter than the published maximum. If you want to stay longer:
Option 1: Extension
UK government advice says British visitors can request an extension beyond 90 days at immigration if they can show travel insurance for the whole of the extended stay. For anything longer, the Dutch government says you must apply for a residence permit.
Option 2: Avoid Overstaying
Leave by the date immigration gives you, and do not work on a visitor's stay: the Dutch government says you need a work permit to work in Curaçao. We found no official page that sets out the penalties for overstaying, so ask immigration instead of relying on an estimate.
If You Need a Visa for Curaçao
If your nationality is not on the Dutch government's visa-exempt list, you need a Caribbean visa, which is issued for the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. There are exemptions: the Dutch government says you do not need one if you hold a multiple-entry Schengen visa, or a residence permit for the United States or Canada. Read the full conditions on NetherlandsWorldwide before you book flights.
If you are unsure, check the nationality list on netherlandsworldwide.nl, the Dutch government site that covers Caribbean visas, or ask the nearest embassy or consulate of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Travel Document Tips
Make Copies
Keep copies of your passport, return ticket, hotel reservation, insurance certificate and submitted DI card on your phone and in your email.
Customs Declaration
UK government advice says you must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty. Cash above a set threshold must be declared too. Official pages publish different thresholds, so confirm the current one with Curaçao Customs (Douane) before you travel.
Duty-Free Allowances
The Curaçao Tourist Board lists a duty-free allowance for adult non-residents that includes one liter of liquor and 200 cigarettes. Canada's travel advice adds that taking corals or conch shells off the island is strictly prohibited. Confirm current limits with Curaçao Customs (Douane).
Traveling with Minors
Canada's travel advice says Curaçao has strict entry and exit requirements for travelers under 18: a birth certificate, identity documents for the child and for the parents or guardian, proof of who the legal representative is, and a signed consent form. The US State Department also asks for notarized permission when a child travels without both parents.
Ready to plan your trip?
With the entry rules checked, the next choice is a base. The guides compare Willemstad with Jan Thiel and explain when a rental car is worth it.