If you live in Kenya and want to apply for a visa to visit Aruba, Curaçao or the other Caribbean parts of the Kingdom for up to 90 days, find out about the rules and how to apply.
What do I need to do?
You must always submit your application in person. Children
under the age of 18 must also apply in person.
Bring the following documents with you. For every document,
you must bring the original and one photocopy with you. The embassy or
consulate-general cannot make photocopies for you.
Application form
You must submit a completed Caribbean
visa application form. You must sign the form during your appointment in
the presence of a consular officer.
Passport
You must provide a passport or other travel document
containing at least two blank pages. It should be valid for at least 3 months
after you leave the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom.
When you submit your application, you must also submit your
passport. If you need proof that your passport is being held by the embassy or
consulate-general, bring an extra photocopy with you. The embassy or
consulate-general will stamp the photocopy for you free of charge.
Documents for minors
If you are applying for a visa on behalf of a child under
the age of 18, you must bring the child’s birth certificate and proof of
identity for the child’s parent(s) or guardian(s).
If the child will not be travelling with their parents, or
if only 1 of child’s parent will be accompanying the child, you must provide a
declaration of consent signed by both parents or whoever has parental
responsibility. If only 1 parent has parental responsibility for the child, you
will need to provide a court judgment or a statement from a court confirming
this.
Proof of legal residence
You must be able to prove that you are legally resident in
the country you are applying from. To do this, you can provide your passport,
residence permit or a visa.
Photo
Bring a photo that meets the Dutch
requirements for passport photos.
Travel itinerary
You must clearly demonstrate your travel itinerary. For
example, by providing your flight reservation. You are advised not to buy tickets
before you have received your visa.
Proof of transit
If relevant, you must also prove that, after leaving the
Caribbean parts of the Kingdom, you can legally transit through another
country. To do this, you can show a passport, residence permit or visa.
Proof of sufficient funds (tourists and business
travellers)
You must provide proof that you have enough money to cover
the cost of your accommodation and stay. On average, this is between USD 150
and USD 200 a day.
You should provide 3 recent bank statements (paper or
digital) bearing your name and address. You can also show signed traveller’s
cheques bearing your name.
Proof of sufficient funds (travellers visiting family or
friends)
You must provide proof that you have enough money to cover
your stay with family and friends. On average, this is around USD 100 a day.
You should provide 3 recent bank statements (paper or
digital) bearing your name and address. You can also show signed traveller’s
cheques bearing your name.
Guarantor’s declaration
If you cannot prove that you have enough money, a family
member or friend from the part(s) of the Kingdom you are visiting must act as a
guarantor. They do this by applying for a financial guarantor’s declaration.
The guarantor must arrange this in person with the local authorities, who must
also legalise the declaration.
In the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom, your guarantor can
arrange a guarantor’s declaration through the following bodies:
- Aruba:
Department of Legislation and Legal Affairs (Directie Wetgeving en Juridische Zaken)
- Curaçao: Toelatingsorganisatie Curaçao
- St
Maarten: Civil Registry Department (Dienst Burgerzaken)
- Bonaire,
St Eustatius and Saba: IND Caribbean Netherlands
When applying for your visa, you must show that your
guarantor has enough money to cover your stay. On average, this is around USD
100 a day. To do this, you must provide the following documents (obtained from
your guarantor):
- the
legalised guarantor’s declaration
- their
3 most recent bank statements
- their
3 most recent payslips
- an
employer’s declaration or employment contact
- a
photocopy of their passport or identity card.
Documents for employees, students or independent business
travellers
- Employees:
you must provide an employer’s declaration stating your job title, number
of years of service, monthly income and permission to take holiday leave.
- Students:
you must provide proof that you are registered as a student at your school
or university.
- Independent
business travellers: you must provide official proof that you own a
registered business and show a tax return for the past year.
Additional information on the purpose of your visit
- Visiting
family or friends
You must provide a guarantor’s declaration, letter or email proving that you will be staying with the person in question. - Tourism
You must provide a copy of your accommodation reservation containing the contact details and your reservation number. Or you must provide proof that you are taking part in a group trip. - Business
You must provide a letter of invitation from a company in the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom and a letter from your employer. Both letters must contain the following information: - your
job
- the
reason for your visit
At least 1 letter must give information on where you will
stay during your visit and who is covering the cost of your trip.
Medical insurance
You must show an official document from your insurance
company. The document must prove that the insurance is in your name. It must
also prove that your insurance policy provides medical cover:
- in all
Caribbean parts of the Kingdom
- for
the entire duration of your stay
- for at
least USD 15,000
- for
hospital care, emergency treatment and repatriation (including in the event
of death).
If your insurance policy does not cover the above, or if you
do not have an official document proving this, you must take out a policy that
does provide this cover.
Please note: Providing these documents does not
automatically entitle you to a visa. The embassy or consulate can refuse your
application or request additional information.
How much does a visa cost?
When you apply for a visa at a Netherlands embassy or
consulate-general, you must pay a fee. You can find the fee
here.
If you are applying through an external service provider,
you will pay more.
How long does it take?
The earliest you can apply is 3 months before you intend to travel. In most cases, you’ll be informed within 15 calendar days whether your application has been successful.