Do I need a visa for the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom?

Some visitors to the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom do not need a visa. This includes Dutch and US nationals, as well as nationals of the countries listed below. In most cases, you do not need a visa to transit through the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom.

Travelling without a visa

You can travel to the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom (Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, St Eustatius and St Maarten) without a visa in the following instances.

Please note there are rules on travelling to the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom without a visa.

No visa is required for nationals of the following countries

You do not need a visa if you are a national of one of the following countries:

  • Albania
  • Andorra
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Argentina
  • Australia
  • Austria
  • Bahamas
  • Barbados
  • Belgium
  • Belize
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Brazil
  • Brunei
  • Bulgaria
  • Canada
  • Chile
  • Costa Rica
  • Croatia
  • Colombia
  • Cyprus
  • Czech Republic
  • Denmark
  • Dominica
  • Ecuador
  • El Salvador
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • Grenada
  • Greece
  • Guatemala
  • Guyana (Guyanese nationals do require a visa for St Maarten)
  • Honduras
  • Hong Kong – holders of a British National (Overseas) passport
  • Hong Kong – holders of a Special Administrative Region passport
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • Ireland
  • Israel
  • Italy
  • Jamaica (only for Curacao – Jamaican nationals do require a visa for Aruba, St Maarten and the Caribbean Netherlands)
  • Japan
  • Latvia
  • Liechtenstein
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Macao – holders of a Special Administrative Region passport
  • Malaysia
  • Malta
  • Mauritius
  • Mexico
  • Moldova
  • Monaco
  • Montenegro
  • Nicaragua
  • New Zealand
  • North Macedonia
  • Norway
  • Panama
  • Paraguay
  • Peru (visa required for St. Martin)
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Romania
  • San Marino
  • Serbia
  • Seychelles
  • Singapore
  • St Christopher and Nevis (St Kitts)
  • St Lucia
  • St Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • South Korea
  • Spain
  • Suriname
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Taiwan – only applies for passports containing personal ID-card number
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • United Arab Emirates
  • United Kingdom
  • United States of America
  • Uruguay
  • Vatican City
  • Venezuela

Please note: if you belong to the Russian population of Estonia, Latvia or Lithuania and hold an alien's or non-citizen passport issued by one of these countries, you do not need a visa to visit Curaçao. You do need a visa for Aruba, however.

You have a valid visa or residence permit for another country

You do not need a visa for the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom in the following instances:

Schengen country

If you hold a multiple-entry short-stay Schengen visa or an authorisation for temporary stay or residence permit for a Schengen country, you do not need a visa.

United Kingdom or Ireland

If you hold a multiple entry visa or residence permit for the United Kingdom or Ireland you do not need a visa.

Saint Maarten

If you hold a residence permit or proof of return for Saint Martin (the French part of the island), you do not need a visa to enter St Maarten (the Dutch part of the island).

If you hold a visa for Saint Martin, you do not need a visa to enter St Maarten. However, you do need a visa for the other Caribbean parts of the Kingdom.

United States or Canada

If you hold a permanent residence permit for the United States or Canada, you do not need a visa.

If you hold a multiple-entry visa for the United States or Canada and are a national of one of the countries in the table below, you do not need a visa.

Nationality Exempted, with a multiple-entry visa, for: Remarks
Bolivia all the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom
China all the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom
Cuba all the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom
Dominican Republic all the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom
Guyana St Maarten No visa required for the other Caribbean parts of the Kingdom, even without a visa or residence permit for the US or Canada
Haiti all the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom
India all the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom
Jamaica all the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom, apart from Curaçao No visa required for Curaçao, even without a visa or residence permit for the US or Canada 
Peru St. Maarten No visa required for the other Caribbean parts of the Kingdom, even without a visa or residence permit for the US or Canada

You are transiting

You do not need a visa for the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom in the following instances:

Airport transit

You are transiting through an airport in one of the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom, hold an onward ticket and meet the following requirements:

Caribbean parts of the Kingdom No visa required for airport transit
Aruba Transit between 7:00 and 23:00 uur
St Maarten Transit on the same calendar day

Bonaire, Curaçao, St Eustatius and Saba

 Transit within 48 hours

Cruise ship

You are a cruise ship passenger and your stay in port lasts no more than 48 hours, or 24 hours in Aruba.

St Maarten – travelling overland

If you are travelling overland to Saint Martin (the French part of the island) from St Maarten, you do not need a visa for the time you spend in the Dutch part. You must, however, provide proof of a confirmed hotel reservation. You must also hold a valid visa issued by the French authorities (if you are required to have one). You do need a visa for the other Caribbean parts of the Kingdom, however.

Air and sea crew

You hold a special travel document

You may not need a visa for the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom if one of the following applies to you:

Laissez-passer holder

You hold a laissez-passer issued by the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund or the World Bank.

Accredited diplomat

You are a diplomat and have been accredited in the Netherlands for the whole Kingdom.

Special passport holder

You hold a diplomatic passport, special passport, or service passport (official passport) from one of the following countries:

Nationality Diplomatic passport Service/Official passport Special passport
Bolivia no visa required no visa required visa required
Chad no visa required visa required visa required
Ecuador no visa required no visa required visa required
Georgia no visa required no visa required visa required
Indonesia no visa required no visa required visa required
Jamaica no visa required no visa required visa required
Malawi no visa required no visa required visa required
Morocco no visa required no visa required visa required
North Macedonia no visa required visa required visa required
Pakistan no visa required visa required visa required
Peru no visa required visa required no visa required
Russia no visa required visa required visa required
Senegal no visa required visa required visa required
Thailand no visa required no visa required visa required
Tunisia no visa required no visa required no visa required
Turkey no visa required no visa required no visa required
Ukraine no visa required visa required visa required

You hold a residence permit for one of the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom

You do not need a visa for the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom in the following instances:

  • You hold a residence permit entitling you to stay for at least 6 months in one of the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom.
  • You have proof of return issued by one of the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom. You can use this to enter and exit the country while your application for a new residence permit is being processed.

Visa required

If none of the situations listed apply to you, you need a visa for the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom: