Dutch and US Citizen Admittance Rules

Dutch nationality does not mean every Dutch citizen can settle in Bonaire, Sint Eustatius or Saba without any admission formalities.

The WTU-BES contains special rules for Dutch nationals and certain others, while some island-connected Dutch nationals fall outside the law entirely.

European Dutch and Dutch Caribbean nationals

RCN states that European Dutch nationals and Dutch nationals from Curaçao, Sint Maarten and Aruba have free entry to the Caribbean Netherlands for:

  • up to 180 days in every 365 days when not working/doing a traineeship; or
  • up to 90 days in every 365 days when they work or do a traineeship.

If someone arrives as a tourist and later starts working, the 90-day rule applies.

For a longer stay, the appropriate route is generally a Declaration of Admittance by Law.

United States nationals

US citizens are also included in the Declaration of Admittance by Law process published by IND-CN.

That makes US-citizen treatment different from ordinary MVV-required nationalities, but it does not mean all US citizens can remain indefinitely without an application.

Declaration of Admittance by Law

The current form/page is intended for:

  • Americans;
  • European Dutch nationals; and
  • Dutch nationals from Curaçao, Sint Maarten or Aruba

who want to live beyond the free period or remain longer while working/doing a traineeship.

The 2026 fee is:

  • first admission by operation of law: $169;
  • extension: $58.

Non-Applicability Declaration

Some people are not subject to WTU-BES and can prove that position through a Non-Applicability Declaration.

RCN lists categories including:

  • Dutch citizens born on Bonaire, Sint Eustatius or Saba;
  • certain Dutch citizens born in the Kingdom with a parent born on one of the BES islands;
  • specified long-term residents around the 10 October 2010 constitutional transition;
  • aliens who obtained Dutch citizenship on a BES island; and
  • certain children where the law does not apply to a parent.

This is a status-specific exemption, not a general shortcut for every Dutch citizen.

Work-permit question

The immigration/admittance position and the TWV employment rules must still be checked separately. A special admission basis does not automatically answer every employer-side work-permit question.

Registration

Once admitted for settlement, Civil Affairs registration and the Sedula process are separate administrative steps.

Return to the Caribbean Netherlands immigration hub, browse visa types, explore the Caribbean region, review our methodology, and read the legal disclaimer.

Official and supporting sources

Related routes in Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba