Live in Aruba! Your visa, passport and citizenship options.
A bit about Aruba
Aruba is a 180 square kilometre island in the Caribbean. If you live in Aruba you get to enjoy amazing beaches, it’s capital city Oranjestad, and friendly people always willing to help out and give directions. For people who move to Aruba, it’s no surprise that most career opportunities are in hospitality. The official languages spoken on the island are Dutch and Papiamentu, but most locals who live in Aruba also speak Spanish and English. If you are looking to immigrate to Aruba, speaking more than one language will open up better job opportunities.
Why live in Aruba?
There are many reasons to move to Aruba. It is a safe destination, in more than one way. It is located outside the hurricane belt, and in terms of crime, it is considered the safest place in the area. If you live in Aruba, there is high quality and modern medical care available. Aruba has one of the highest standards of living in the Caribbean region and there is a low unemployment rate.
And what to do in your free time when you live in Aruba? No need to get bored! Surfing, chilling on the beach, snorkelling, diving and even visiting a national park are one of the many options. At night you can visit one of the restaurants on the island or sip a cocktail in a beach bar. Aruba may be a small island; it offers big possibilities and opportunities.
Aruba offer a range of options for visas, permits, and residency if you are planning to live in Aruba.
Before you commit to a long-term move to Aruba, it may be a good idea to visit to do some research. Visiting will allow you a chance to talk to locals and Expats on the ground about the pros and cons of living in Aruba. You’ll also be able to see, hear, smell and taste to get a real feel for life in Aruba. Many countries require a tourist visa to visit. We suggest you use the Visa HQ tool below to see if you need a tourist visa for Aruba.
Aruba Tourist Visa
Aruba has a 30-day tourist visa. You can spend a maximum of 180 days a year in Aruba on the Aruba tourist visa. Many countries need to apply before visiting Aruba. Use the VisaHQ tool here to check to see if you need an Aruba tourist visa.
Aruba Retirement Visa to Live in Aruba
If you can prove an annual income of Afl. 50,000 or approx USD29,000 from an authorised source and you are over 55 years of age, you can apply for a retirement visa to live in Aruba.
Aruba Passive Income Visa to Live in Aruba
If you can prove an annual income of Afl. 100,000 or approx USD58,000 from an authorised source and you are over 18 years of age, you can apply for a residency visa to live in Aruba.
Family Visas to Live in Aruba
If your spouse is an Aruba citizen or an Aruba permanent resident, you are eligible for Aruba residency. If your spouse is an Aruba citizen, you can apply for citizenship after 3 years of marriage. Please note that your status of spouse needs to be legally recognised in Aruba before you can get this residency visa and live in Aruba.
Work Visas to Live in Aruba
Foreigners wanting to live work in Aruba need a work permit. An Aruba work permit is usually valid for the maximum period of one year. Your future employer must file the application with the Directorate of Alien Integration, Policy and Admission and the procedure has to be completed before moving to Aruba. Having said that, Aruba does not offer a wide range of employment opportunities to foreigners. You will generally only be able to secure a job in Aruba if no-one else can fulfil the role. It is best to ensure you can find employment if you are looking to live in Aruba.
Aruba citizenship is Dutch citizenship, as Aruba is part of Kingdom of the Netherlands. Access to a Dutch passport is highly sought after. The Dutch passport was recently ranked 7th most powerful with visa-free access to 185 countries around the world. There are several ways to access citizenship, regardless of whether you live in Aruba or not.
Aruba citizenship by descent
If one or both of your parents were citizens when you were born, you are probably also a citizen.
Aruba citizenship by naturalisation
You can apply for Dutch citizenship by naturalisation if you are over 18 years of age, hold a permanent residency permit and meet one of the following requirements:
- You have lived continuously in the Netherlands, Aruba, Curaçao, or Sint Maarten for 5 years.
- You are able to read, write, speak and understand Dutch.
- If your spouse is a citizen, you can apply for citizenship after 3 years of marriage. Please note that your status of spouse needs to be legally recognised in this country.
Aruba residency by investment
You can access an Aruba residency by investment visa. This allows you to live and work in Aruba. This can be a pathway to Dutch citizenship.
If you own shares with a value of at least AWG125,000 (Aruban Florin) in a company established in Aruba, you may apply for a residence permit to live in Aruba.
If you are the owner of at least 40% of the shares issued in a company established in Aruba with a value of at least AWG50,000 (Aruban Florin), you may apply for a residence permit to live in Aruba.
Do you have experience moving to Aruba? We’d love to hear from you about why you chose to move to live in Aruba and the pros and cons of living and working in Aruba. We’d be very interested in your experience with Aruba visas and residency permits, Aruba citizenship, Aruba nationality, and Aruba passports. Please contact us to share your Expat story.