Consulate General of the United States Curacao

U.S. Capitol

Thank you for your interest in traveling to the United States.  The following provides visa information for travelers to the United States who wish to visit, work or study for a temporary period.

Non-Immigrant Visas (NIV)

The U.S. Consulate General to the Dutch Caribbean accepts applicants for NIV services to residents of Aruba, Curacao, St. Maarten, Bonaire, Saba, and St. Eustatius who meet certain requirements, listed below in red.  All residents holding a Dutch passport are still eligible for travel under the Visa Waiver Program for business and tourism stays of less than 90 days. The type of visa required will depend on the purpose of travel.

IMPORTANT:  The Consulate General in Curacao only interviews those applicants who hold a Dutch passport or are renewing a multiple entry U.S. visa valid for at least one full year that is either still valid or expired less than one year prior to the interview date.  All other applicants should apply at the U.S. Embassy in Caracas. Those individuals applying for E, H, or L visa, regardless of citizenship and/or any previous visa/s, must apply at the U.S. Embassy in Caracas. However, any applicant may be referred for processing to the U.S. Embassy in Caracas at the discretion of the interviewing officer.

What is a visa?

A visa is issued by a U.S. Embassy or Consulate. A visa entitles the holder to travel to the United States and apply for admission; it does not guarantee entry.  An immigration inspector at the port of entry determines the visa holder's eligibility for admission into the United States.

Who needs a visa?

Anyone who is not eligible to enter the United States without a visa under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), or is not exempt from the visa requirement, or whose registration has been denied under ESTA requires a visa.  We are unable to answer any questions regarding the ESTA program.  Please visit the CBP ESTA website. 

Applying for the visa

NIV applicants are required to make an appointment for an interview.  The Consulate does not accept walk-in applications.  Please contact Visa Information Service at 001-602-567-9833 or the online service at the U.S. visa self service website to schedule an appointment and obtain information about the visa process.  Each call costs $19.00 USD and is payable by Visa or Mastercard. The fee for the online service is $10.00 USD paid via the website using either Visa or MasterCard.
If you encounter any problems with using the Visa Information Service, please send an email with details of the event/s to NIVCuracao@state.gov.

Please Note: No assurances regarding the issuance of visas can be given in advance. Therefore, final travel plans or the purchase of nonrefundable tickets should not be made until a visa has been issued.  Please apply well in advance of your travel date. 

Nonimmigrant Visa Fees

Each applicant for a visitor visa must pay a non-refundable application fee paid in US dollars or NA guilders. The fee must be paid in cash and is paid at the time of the interview.  The fee pays for processing of the application and is non-refundable regardless of issuance.

If you are a national of a country other than the Kingdom of the Netherlands, you may wish to consult the Visa Reciprocity Tables to find out if you must pay a visa issuance reciprocity fee. Reciprocity fees must be paid at the Visa Section on the day of your interview. These fees apply to various categories of visas and differ by nationality and the number of years the visa is valid for. They may be paid in dollars or guilders.

Required Documents

Please bring your signed passport, valid for at least six months from the date of intended departure from the United States. The passport must be in good condition, i.e., photo lamination is undamaged, and all passport pages are intact.

All of the forms listed below are in PDF format and require the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view them. All our forms have been tested and work fine on Windows, Mac and Linux.
You can download Acrobat reader from the Adobe website. 

Visa Processing and Pickup

Visas are now printed locally in Curacao reducing the amount of processing time to three (3) days.  Applicants whose visa was approved are notified, usually at the time of interview.  Applicants residing in Curacao will receive an email informing them that the passport is ready.  Applicants not residing on Curacao must make arrangements for the retrieval of their passport, either by commercial courier at the applicant's expense or pick up by the applicant or a third party with appropriate authorization.  To authorize an individual other than the holder/owner of the item to pick it up, the individual must present the receipt for the service OR a letter signed by the holder/owner specifying the name of the individual retrieving the item.  We thank you in advance for your cooperation.

If you wish to contact the NIV Unit about your visa, please send an email to NIVCuracao@state.gov. The Consular Section cannot discuss cases in which a visa application was refused.

Customer Service Statement

Please read our customer service statement to visa applicants.

Important Pamphlet:  For Certain Employment or Education-based Nonimmigrants (Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Act). 

Last updated April 2012