Apply For a Work Visa

Where is Caribbean Visa not valid?

Your residence permit for the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom is not valid for the European part of the Netherlands because a Caribbean Visa is not valid for travel to the European part of the Netherlands or to any other Schengen area Country. But you do not need a visa if you are a citizen of one of the countries whose nationals are exempted from the visa requirement. This includes visitors from the United States or European Union countries.

Visa for the Dutch Caribbean

If you want to travel to the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, you may be required to apply for a Dutch Caribbean Visa. A Netherlands Caribbean visa is a multiple entry visa, which means you can leave and enter as many times as you want within that six-month frame. If you want to visit and remain in those islands for up to 90 days, you need to apply for a short-stay Caribbean visa. If you are granted a Caribbean visa, you can travel between all six islands and do not need a separate. The Caribbean parts of the Netherlands include the following islands:

• Aruba
• Bonaire
• Curaçao
• Saba
• St Eustatius
• St Maarten

Eligibility criteria for applying to Caribbean Visa?

The eligibility criteria for applying for Caribbean visa are:

• You must submit a completed Caribbean visa application form and sign the form during your appointment in the presence of a consular officer.
• You must always submit your application in person. Children under the age of 18 must also apply in person.
• You must be able to prove that you are legally resident in the country you are applying from.
• If relevant, you must also prove that, after leaving the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom, you can legally transit through another country.
• You must provide proof that you have enough money to cover the cost of your accommodation and stay with family and friends. On average, this is between USD 150 and USD 200 a day.
• You must not have involved in any past criminal activity.
• A valid and justified reason of your visit.

Required Documents for applying for Caribbean Visa

The documents required for applying Caribbean Visa are:

• Proof of filled and issued Caribbean Application form.
• A valid passport or other travel document containing at least two blank pages. It should be valid for at least 3 months after you leave the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom.
• If you are applying for a visa on behalf of a child under the age of 18, you must bring the child’s birth certificate and proof of identity for the child’s parent(s) or guardian(s).
• Proof of legal residence.
• A passport size photograph that meets the Dutch requirements for passport photos.
• Proof of your travel itinerary such as flight bookings as well as proof of accommodation.
• Employees must provide an employer’s declaration stating your job title, number of years of service, monthly income, and permission to take holiday leave.
• An updated CV.
• You must provide a letter of invitation from a company in the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom and a letter from your employer.
• Proof of Medical insurance covering costs up to USD 15,000. It must also prove that your insurance policy provides medical cover in all Caribbean parts of the Kingdom and for the entire duration of your stay including repatriation to your home country in case of a medical emergency or death.

Processing time of Caribbean Visa

The processing time for a Caribbean visa is approximately 15 business days but it may take considerably longer if additional documents are required. The earliest you can apply is 3 months before you intend to travel. In most cases, you’ll be informed within 15 calendar days whether your application has been successful.

What can you do with Caribbean Visas?

There are two types of Caribbean Visas that you can apply for that is one is for short stay and another one is for long stay. A short stay Caribbean Visa has a staying period of 180 days and a long stay Caribbean Visa let you stay in all six of the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom for more than a period of 180 days. If you are planning for a short business visit in Caribbean, then you can go with short-stay Caribbean Visa while if you want to work for long time in Caribbean parts of the Kingdom then you can go with long-stay Caribbean Visa and further apply for residence permit.

Cost of the Caribbean Visa?

The Dutch Caribbean visa fee is the same as for all Netherlands Schengen visas. It will cost €80 to apply for a Dutch Caribbean visa. However, those exempt from a Dutch Caribbean visa application fee include:

• Children under six years of age.
• An academic researcher.
• A family member of EU/EEA/Swiss citizens.
• Students or teachers traveling for studying or training purposes.
• People under 25 who are traveling to partake in non-profit organizational events.

Where is Caribbean Visa not needed?

No Caribbean visa is required to travel to the Caribbean Netherlands in the following instances:

• If you have a multiple-entry short-stay Schengen visa.
• If you have an authorization for temporary stay or residence permit for a Schengen country.
• If you have a multiple entry visa or residence permit for the United Kingdom or Ireland.
• If you have a permanent residence permit for the United States or Canada.
• If you have a multiple-entry visa for the United States or Canada and are a national of: Bolivia, China, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Peru.

Only applies to St Maarten, otherwise, no visa is required for the other Caribbean parts, even without a visa or residence permit for the US or Canada.

• If you have a laissez-passer issued by the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, or the World Bank.
• If you are a diplomat who is accredited in the Netherlands for the whole Kingdom.
• If you have a diplomatic passport of one of the following countries: Bolivia, Chad, Ecuador, Georgia, Indonesia, Jamaica, Malawi, Morocco, North Macedonia, Pakistan, Peru, Russia, Senegal, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine.

Caribbean Visa Rejection Reasons

Your application for applying Caribbean Visa may get rejected because of the following reasons:

• You have not met the eligibility criteria and your employer is non-recognized.
• False information and data mismatch.
• Violating Visa Rules and Documentation Process.
• You were involved in either past or current criminal actions.
• Insufficient explanation for the purpose and circumstances of the planned stay for example not able to show your employment contract.
• Damaged or invalidity of passport.
• Invalid letter of reference.
• Lacking to present a proof of residence.
• Unfavorable Travel Itinerary and Health Status.
• Invalid Travel Insurance.
• Invalid Medical Insurance.
• Invalid Means of Subsistence.

Can I get permanent residency through the Caribbean Visa?

If you want to stay in the Caribbean parts of Kingdom for longer than 90 days, you will normally need to apply for Dutch residence permit but if you are a Dutch or US national, you will only need a residence permit if you wish to stay longer than 180 days. To collect this residence permit, you need a long-stay Caribbean Visa. Also, if you want to work during your stay, you need to hold a work permit like showing the proof of your employment.