Curaçao: all programs

Curaçao in brief

Curaçao is an island in the southern Caribbean, 65 km off the coast of Venezuela, and a self-governing country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Its area is 444 km² and its population about 158,000. The capital is Willemstad, whose historic centre with colourful waterfront houses is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Hurricanes rarely hit the island: it lies south of their main path.

The official languages are Papiamentu, Dutch and English, and many people also speak Spanish. The currency is the Caribbean guilder, pegged to the dollar at 1.79 guilders per dollar, and dollars are accepted almost everywhere. The economy rests on tourism, financial services, the port and logistics. Law and courts follow the Dutch model, but Curaçao is part of neither the EU nor Schengen.

How to move in 2026

Indefinite residence is granted after 10 years of uninterrupted legal residence on the island, and at once to investors from $840,000 and participants in the retiree regime. The investor permit does not allow employment but lets you live on the island with your family. A permit usually requires health insurance and proof of means to live on.

The first 30 days after the move

1. Entry. Citizens of the EU, the UK, the US and Canada need no visa to visit and may stay up to 90 days. Before arrival everyone fills in a digital immigration card. Citizens of some countries need a separate visa unless they hold a suitable valid visa of another country, so we check the rules for your passport before you buy tickets.
2. Permit application. The application goes to Curaçao's admissions service. Remote workers usually get an answer in about two weeks, investors take longer because the investment and source of funds are checked.
3. Population register. Once you have the permit, you register your address on the island. From this date you have two months to apply for the retiree tax regime.
4. Housing and a car. For the first weeks a flat paid by the month is convenient while you choose a district on the spot. Buses are few, so almost everyone drives; traffic keeps to the right.
5. Bank account. Local banks serve mainly island residents: you need a residence permit, an address in Curaçao, a reference letter from your bank and source of funds documents.

A Dutch passport through Curaçao

Living in Curaçao counts towards naturalisation in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. After 5 years of uninterrupted residence on the island with a valid permit you can apply for Dutch citizenship, and with it an EU passport. The application goes to the Cabinet of the Governor of Curaçao.

The conditions are strict: an exam on society and languages, in Curaçao Dutch and Papiamentu, and renouncing your previous nationality unless an exception applies to you, such as marriage to a Dutch citizen. So before moving it is worth deciding whether you are ready to give up your current passport. Ask an expert.

Taxes

A Curaçao resident pays income tax on worldwide income, a non-resident only on income from the island. Residence is determined by actual ties to the island: home, family, work and registration in the population register.

The retiree regime is open to those aged 50 or over who have not lived in Curaçao for the past 5 years. The application is filed within two months of registering on the island, and a home worth at least $260,000 is bought within 18 months. Pensions, dividends, interest and other foreign income are then taxed at 10%.

Property

Foreigners buy property freely, without special permits. About a third of properties stand on government land held on a 60-year long lease: the house is yours, the land is paid for annually, and the right can be sold, mortgaged and inherited. The deal is handled by a notary, the money goes through the notary's escrow account, and on the resale market the buyer pays a 4% transfer tax. From contract to transfer usually takes 1-3 months.

More on districts, types of land title and the investor permit on the page about investment property in Curaçao.

Bank and money

The island's banks are supervised by the Central Bank of Curaçao and Sint Maarten. A resident keeps the main account in guilders and opens a dollar account with proof of the source of the currency. A non-resident with no ties to the island usually gets an account only for a specific deal, such as buying a home. Preparing documents and the bank's checks take 3 to 8 weeks.

We help open a personal account in Curaçao and a business account.

Cost of living

Almost everything is imported to the island, so food, cars and electronics cost 30-50% more than in the US. Electricity is expensive too, with air conditioning the main item.

Budget for the first 3 months

One person needs $5,400-8,400 for three months with rent. On top come the landlord's deposit, renting or buying a car, private health insurance and permit fees, about $300 for a remote worker. An investor should also budget for the 4% transfer tax and the notary.

A manager in the chat will calculate the full cost of moving for your family, based on your grounds for residence.

Family: schools and healthcare

State schools teach in Dutch and Papiamentu, and there is a private international school teaching in English. The island's main hospital is the Curaçao Medical Center in Willemstad, with 300 beds, opened in 2019; for complex treatment patients fly to Colombia, the US or the Netherlands. So newcomers need a policy with medical evacuation.

Where to live

• Willemstad. The historic districts of Punda and Otrobanda, the restaurants and nightlife of Pietermaai, with work and shops nearby.
• Jan Thiel. Beaches, restaurants and gated communities east of the capital, a favourite with newcomers.
• Jan Sofat and Coral Estate. Quiet residential estates with villas by the sea.
• Westpunt. The western tip of the island: nature, wild beaches and the calmest places, but an hour's drive from the capital.

Residence, taxes and accounts: further reading

• Remote worker permit - conditions, documents and taxes.
• Investment property - buying and the investor permit.
• Personal account - documents and checks at a local bank.
• Business account - for a company on the island.

Who Curaçao suits

Retirees aged 50+ with foreign income who want a warm climate and a 10% tax. Investors who want to live by the sea under a Dutch legal system and apply for a Dutch passport after 5 years. Remote workers for up to a year. Curaçao suits less those who need a big city, cheap living or to keep their current citizenship on naturalisation. Write in the chat and we will choose your grounds for moving and calculate the full cost.