A tourist is anyone who stays in Curaçao for no longer than three months for purposes such as relaxation, sports, health reasons, family affairs, study, religious activities, or business visits, and who does not perform any paid work during their stay.

The maximum length of stay depends on the tourist’s nationality. There are four different categories to consider. Tourists with Dutch or American nationality are granted permission for a period of 6 months. Citizens of the European Union, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan are granted permission for 3 months. Citizens of non-visa-required countries can, in principle, obtain permission for up to 30 days or as short as indicated by the return ticket. If the tourist from this category wants to stay for longer than 30 days (up to 90 days), they must apply for an extension of their tourist stay at least 7 days before the expiration of this term.

The length of stay for citizens from countries for which a visa is required is linked to the validity of the visa. If the visa’s validity is longer than 30 days (for example, 90 days), they do not need to apply for an extension. This is because the assessment has already taken place at the Dutch Embassy or Consulate. A visa cannot, in principle, be extended unless there are special circumstances.