Internship
Dutch and American citizens
If you are a Dutch or American citizen and you are planning to do an internship in the Caribbean Netherlands, then the following information is relevant to you.
Should or should you not submit an application?
If your are doing an internship in the Caribbean Netherlands and if you are staying 90 day or less within a period of 365 days, it is not necessary to submit an application for a Declaration of Admittance by Law. In that case you will use the visa-free period.
If you are going to do an internship and will stay longer than 90 days in a 365-day period, you will need to apply for a Declaration of Admittance by Law at the IND. The length of the internship has no influence on this.
Example 1: In a 365-day period, you stay 60 days on Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius, of which you work 20 days. You then have 30 days left of the free period, because 90 - 60 = 30.
Example 2: In a period of 365 days, you will stay on Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius for 100 days, of which you will do an internship for 21 days. You will exceed the free period by 10 days, because 90 - 100 = -10. You must therefore apply for a Declaration of Admittance.
When applying for a Declaration of Admittance by Law, you will need the following documents:
- Aan IND application form
- MBES08, completed and signed
- A valid passport
- You must also show your original passport at the service counter
- Proof of accommodation
- This can be either a tenancy agreement or for instance a letter from the internship organisation. If the organisation offering the internship arranges housing for you (cost and accommodation) then this must be proven in writing by means of a letter
- Proof of sufficient means of existence
- Your internship contract or an employer’s statement (MBES29) completed by the internship organisation. This statement must include the internship period and any internship allowance
- An overview of your student finance (DUO). A DUO overview stating your name and the amount of your student finance.
Certificate of Good Conduct
If you have resided outside the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the past five years, you need to provide a Certificate of Good Conduct (Verklaring omtrent gedrag, hereinafter VOG) issued by these countries. The VOG must bear an apostille or legalisation stamp.
If you have only lived in the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the past five years, you do not need to submit a VOG but the IND will obtain this ex officio.
Submission and course of the application
Are you a Dutch or American national applying for a Declaration of Admittance by Law? Then preferably submit your application online.
Check the current fee on the fees page. You pay by card at the counter or by transferring the amount via online banking.
Whether you must register, depends on how long you will stay in the Caribbean Netherlands. More information on this topic can be obtained from your municipality and/or the Census Office department of the island where you will be residing
Other citizenships
Other nationalities require a residence permit, not a Declaration of Admittance by Law. You submit the application by appointment.