Passport and visa regulations

Nationalities

	Passport required	visa required	Return ticket required
Germany	Yes	no	Yes
Austria	Yes	no	Yes
Switzerland	Yes	no	Yes
Other EU countries	Yes	no	Yes
Turkey	Yes	1	Yes

Passport information

Generally required, must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the stay.

Note on the passport

Bonaire is part of the former Netherlands Antilles, which was dissolved on October 10, 2010. It is now, like Saba and St. Eustatius, a special municipality in the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Visa information

Generally required, with the exception of citizens of the following countries listed in the table above for tourist stays, among others: (a) EU countries and Switzerland for stays of up to 30 days per entry and up to 90 days total stay for visits to multiple Caribbean islands in the Netherlands in a period of 180 days (exception: Dutch people max. 180 consecutive days in a period of 365 days). (b) [1] Turkish citizens with a Schengen visa allowing multiple entries or with a valid residence permit or with a temporary residence permit for a Schengen country, with a visa or residence permit for Great Britain or Ireland.

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Note on the visa

With a short-term visa for Bonaire, Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten as well as Sint Eustatius and Saba can also be visited.

Costs

Short-term visa (for a stay of max. 30 days, multiple entries): 35 €.

Visa types and costs

There is a common visa for all parts of the Kingdom of the Netherlands located in the Caribbean (islands of Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten as well as Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba): – Visa for a stay of max. 90 days. (Example of maximum stay: 30 days in Aruba, 21 days in Curaçao, 21 days in Bonaire and 18 days in Sint Maarten.)- Visa for stays longer than 90 days.

Validity

The short-term visa is valid for 6 months and allows multiple entries. The maximum length of stay is 30 days per entry. The maximum total length of stay for island hopping is 90 days.

Transit

Travelers who otherwise require a visa (including passengers on cruise ships and civilian ships) who are traveling on within 48 hours and have valid documents for onward travel do not require a transit visa. The Dutch embassies are responsible for issuing visas.

Application required

(i) International medical insurance with coverage of at least US$15,000.(j) Birth certificates for applicants who are minors and both parents’ passports. Unaccompanied Minor: A notarized travel permit from the parent/guardian not traveling with you. (k) Statement of purpose of travel.

Processing time

Short-term visa: Usually 15 calendar days. The application should be submitted at least 4 weeks and at most 3 months before the planned departure.

Proof of sufficient funds

Tourists must prove sufficient funds for the duration of their stay upon entry. Recommendation: Approx. US$ 150 per day for hotel guests and approx. US$ 100 per day for foreign guests staying privately.

Documents required upon entry

(a) Return and Onward Ticket. (b) Sufficient Funds. (c) valid documents for onward travel (e.g. visas for third countries). (d) Possibly unlimited residence permit for a Schengen country. (e) Proof of Accommodation. (f) International medical insurance covering at least US$15,000.

Entry with children

German: Machine-readable children’s passport with photograph or your own passport. Austrians: Own passport. Swiss: Own passport. Turks: Own passport. Note: The same visa requirements apply to children as to their parents. Attention: Minors must either be accompanied by an adult or be met upon arrival by an adult resident of Bonaire. Unaccompanied minors require a notarized travel permit from the parents not traveling with them. Since June 27, 2012, children need their own travel document (passport / children’s passport) for trips abroad (also within the EU).

Entry with pets

A health certificate is required for all pets (dogs, cats, parrots and parakeets), confirming that the animal is healthy and issued a maximum of 14 days prior to arrival. Cats and dogs also need a microchip and a rabies vaccination certificate. Vaccination should have been given at least 30 days prior to arrival. Dogs must also be vaccinated against canine distemper.