Curaçao Investor Permit Program – The Ultimate Guide By Experts | GCS

Curaçao Investor Permit Program

Global citizens from across the world share one common purpose; the desire for visa-free travel, financial security, privacy, and family safety. This is where citizenship planning comes in. Known as citizenship by investment or an investor permit program, this government initiative grants qualifying applicants and family members with residency or citizenship, in exchange for an investment in the nation’s prosperity. While there are a handful of programs out there that adopt their own variations of this concept, the Curaçao Investor Permit Program is certainly a unique scheme. 

In exchange for a foreign direct investment, foreign investors can find themselves sitting in island paradise, sipping a cocktail and watching the sun dip over crystal-clear blue waters. What’s more, Dutch/EU citizenship is possible after five years.

Stick around as we walk you through the following:

• Residence permit requirements

• Benefits of the investor permit program

• Investment opportunities

• Step-by-step guide to a European Union passport
• Plus more

Financial Requirements

To obtain a residence permit, high net worth investors must tick the following boxes:

• Have sufficient financial resources to invest and have the sufficient means to support yourself as a resident in Curaçao
• Have a clean criminal record and possess good behavior 
• Possess private health insurance policy 
• Have a general interest in Curaçao
• Prove that the investment was made legitimately and that the investment has a real economic benefit to the nation

In addition, the investor must make a minimum investment to qualify for a residence permit. 

There are three investment options on the table:

• Acquire real estate– As the investor, you can buy local property and get a residence permit.
• Make a business investment– Incorporate or buy shares in a locally operating company, where the company runs a business (there has to be at least one local director and local financial administration to qualify as a business)
• Obtain securities– You must invest in a company that’s listed on the Dutch Caribbean Securities Exchange (DCSX). The issuer of the securities can be a local company or foreign entity. Local substance has to be proved (at least one local directo or legal representative, have operational costs, and financial administration done locally)

Note that each investment option comes with its own residence permit category. In each case, a residence permit can be renewed if the investors circumstances remain unchanged.

• A three-year renewable residence permit for a minimum investment of $280,000 (us dollar)
• A five-year renewable residence permit for a minimum of $425,000
• An immediate residence permit for a minimum investment of $850,000

$280,000 investment option

For a minimum capital of $280,000 in real estate or your own business, investors are rewarded with a three-year residence permit. Provided that your investment is maintained, you can renew your permit until you become eligible to apply for citizenship.

$420,000 investment option

For an investment of $420,000 in real estate or business, the applicant is rewarded with a five year investor visa permit. After this, the investor can renew their permit, and then eventually, apply for Dutch citizenship and acquire an EU passport.

$850,000 investment option

For a minimum capital of $838,000, the investor acquires an indefinite residence permit, for an indefinite period, provided that an investment is made in real estate or a business venture. 

Benefits

Live in a beautiful Caribbean nation with high living standards

EU passport in five years

Whole family is eligible

Dynamic investment options

Excellent international trade relationships

Visa free travel to 174 nations with Netherlands citizenship

There are a host of benefits to applying to Curaçao’s investor program.

Investment

The Curaçao economy is growing, as well as it’s established business infrastructure for doing business, and investor-friendly policies make investing in the nation an attractive prospect. Opportunities to invest in business or real estate are ripe, with anticipated high return rates. 

Commitment

Curaçao is committed to its investors, boasting investment friendly government policies that protect foreign investment. Since the country has international trade agreements with many other nations, trading here is also welcomed. 

International School of Curaçao (ISC)

If you’d like to bring your family in for residency, it’s perfectly possible with the Curaçao Investor Permit Program. You also don’t need to worry about your children’s education prospects, since the International School of Curaçao is extremely prestigious, offering an excellent international curriculum.

Entry Requirements

Entry requirements to the program are extremely flexible. All that’s required is to prove you have enough funds to make the investment, have a clean criminal record, and possess health insurance. In return, you have immediate visa-free access to 174 destinations-

Currency

Luckily, Curaçao’s official currency is Netherlands Antillean Guilder (ANG) with a solid exchange rate. 

Language

Dutch, Papiamentu and English are the official languages, making it easy for expats to settle down or do business in the island-nation.

Tax incentives

As a resident in Curaçao, you can enjoy numerous tax advantages. There are low tax rates on exports, and certain businesses linked to export or imports are exempt from paying import duty, turnover tax and excises. To top it off, you can avoid getting double taxed since Curaçao is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. 

How do I get a work permit in Curaçao?

One of the drawbacks of the Curaçao investor visa permit program is that when you obtain the residence permit, you aren’t automatically granted the right to work in the country. Instead, you must separately apply for a work permit.

To obtain the permit, you have to find an employer to sponsor your work permit and launch the application process on your behalf. Generally speaking, it takes around three months for your work permit to get approved, so if you’re eager to work in the nation, make sure you start the process as soon as you have your residence permit.

Also, an important thing to note is that on a tourist visa, you cannot work in the country either.

Health insurance deposit

To successfully acquire an investor permit, you and your family members must have adequate health insurance coverage. This includes coverage of being admitted to a sanatorium or institution that provides psychiatric care.

In addition to having private health insurance, to obtain the investor permit you must also pay a security deposit. The deposit amount varies in accordance with your nationality. 

An EU Golden Visa in the Caribbean

When you obtain the investor visa, you automatically have the same rights of movement and settlement within the Netherlands. This means that with your residence permit, you can spend as much time as you want in the Netherlands. Therefore, the Curaçao investor permit is regarded similarly to Europe’s golden visa concept. After holding your temporary residence permit and respective investment for five years, you can obtain EU citizenship.

Intrigued? More on golden visas explained here.

Official Documents for the temporary residence permit

To obtain the temporary permit (followed by citizenship) the following official documents are required:

• Source of Funds declaration
• Health insurance proof
• Declaration of good behavior
• A certified copy of your original birth certificate
• A legible colored copy of your valid passport
• A certified copy of your utility bill to demonstrate proof of home address
• Bank statement from a local bank stating that you have made a local business investment of at least $280,000
• Bank reference letter, not older than three months, showcasing the integrity and sound business reputation of the foreign investor

Frequently Asked Questions about the investors permit of Curaçao