What Is the Curaçao Digital Immigration Card?
The Digital Immigration Card is a mandatory online form required of every air traveler entering Curaçao. It replaced the paper immigration card once handed out on flights, and it's used at Hato Airport to confirm who's entering the island, why, and where they're staying. The form collects information pulled from your passport, along with your flight details and accommodation address.
Let's be upfront about something important: completing the Digital Immigration Card at the official site costs nothing. There is no government fee attached to this form. Keep that in mind as you read on, because it matters a great deal for the next few sections.
DI Card or ED Card? A Naming Note
You'll see this requirement referred to by two different names, and both are correct. DI Card is short for Digital Immigration Card. ED Card stands for Embarkation-Disembarkation Card — the name of the original paper form this digital version replaced. The paper form is long gone, but the "ED Card" name stuck around and is still in wide use today.
There's no meaningful difference between the two. If you see either term used, they're both describing the same single requirement.
Where to Submit: The Official Site
The official destination for the Digital Immigration Card is dicardcuracao.com. This is confirmed directly by the UK government's own travel advice page for Curaçao, which links to this domain as the correct site for the requirement. It's the one legitimate channel you should be using.
Is the Digital Immigration Card Free? Beware of Scam Websites
Yes, the Digital Immigration Card is free when completed at the official site. We want to state that as clearly as possible, because this is one of the most well-documented scam patterns we've come across for any entry requirement, anywhere.
Unauthorized third-party websites regularly appear in search results — sometimes as paid, sponsored ads placed above the genuine official result — and charge travelers a fee to complete what is actually a free government process. Documented pricing on these unofficial sites has ranged from €20 to €50 per person, and in some cases higher. In some instances, these sites do go on to submit the form on the traveler's behalf; in others, travelers report paying and receiving little to nothing of value in return.
How to Recognize an Unofficial Site
Watch for these red flags:
- The site appears as a sponsored or paid search result rather than an organic one
- The URL is anything other than dicardcuracao.com
- Language like "processing assistance," "apply now," or similar urgency-driven phrasing
- A request for payment before you've reached an official government domain
- No clear disclosure that the site is unaffiliated with the Curaçao government
What to Do If You Already Paid a Third Party
If you've already paid an unauthorized site, complete the real form at dicardcuracao.com as well, to make sure you have a valid submission on file. It's also worth being aware that your personal and passport information may have been shared with an unregulated third party, so keep an eye on your accounts.
A note on our own service: Travel Declaration is a paid, optional assisted-filing service — not the official government portal, and not a requirement of any kind. You can always complete the free form yourself at dicardcuracao.com. What we offer instead is a second set of eyes on your entries, human support if you get stuck, and a more guided process for travelers who'd rather not navigate a government form on their own. We think it's worth being just as direct with you about this as we are about everything else on this page.
Who Needs to Complete the Digital Immigration Card
Let us handle the filing for you
About 7 minutes to fill in. A reviewer checks your details, then we submit on time — and retry if the portal fails.
Apply through TravelDeclaration.comEvery visitor arriving in Curaçao by air must complete the Digital Immigration Card, regardless of nationality. This includes tourists, business travelers, and returning residents who aren't registered as residents of Curaçao. Curaçao residency status — not birthplace — is what determines whether you're treated as a "tourist" for this purpose. Travelers connecting through Curaçao and passing through immigration there also need to complete the form.
Are Children Included?
Yes. A separate card is required for every individual traveler, including infants and children. A parent or guardian can complete the form on a child's behalf, but each child still needs their own individual submission — there's no family or group form.
Cruise Passengers Are Exempt
If you're arriving by cruise ship and not staying overnight on the island itself, you generally don't need to complete the Digital Immigration Card. This requirement applies specifically to air travelers.
Bonaire and Aruba Residents
Residents of Bonaire and Aruba are technically required to complete the Digital Immigration Card as well, though in practice this isn't always checked at arrival. We'd still recommend completing it to be safe.
When to Submit: A 48-Hour Window or a 7-Day Window?
Here's something we want to be transparent about rather than guess at: sources genuinely disagree on the submission window. The UK government's official travel advice states the form must be completed 48 hours before arrival. Several independent travel sources instead describe a longer window of up to 7 days before departure.
Given this conflict, a reasonable approach is to treat 7 days as the earliest you can typically submit, while not leaving it any later than 48 hours before arrival, just to be safe. As always, the current rule at dicardcuracao.com is the final word.
What Information You'll Need
Before you start, have the following ready:
- Passport details — number, issue date, and expiry date (many portals let you upload a photo of your passport to auto-fill this, though the scan doesn't always work reliably)
- Flight details — airline and flight number
- Accommodation address in Curaçao — hotel, private rental, or private residence
- Contact information, including a working email address
- Emergency contact details, including phone number and relationship to you
How to Fill Out the Digital Immigration Card
Go to the official site, dicardcuracao.com
Enter your passport information, either manually or by uploading a photo
Add your flight details and accommodation address
Provide your contact and emergency contact information
Review everything carefully before submitting
Save your confirmation email and PDF
Your Confirmation Email and PDF
Once submitted, you'll receive a confirmation email with a PDF copy of your completed Digital Immigration Card. Keep this accessible — you may be asked to show it at your departure airport or on arrival in Curaçao.
Do You Need to Print It?
Guidance here varies. Some sources state firmly that a printed copy is required and that a digital version shown on your phone won't be accepted. Others describe simply needing to "show" the confirmation without specifying that it must be on paper. Given how much is riding on this, we'd suggest printing a copy just in case, in addition to keeping a digital version on hand.
Editing a Submitted Card
Made a mistake, or did your travel details change? You can return to the official site and update your submitted Digital Immigration Card rather than starting over.
Reusing Your Information on a Repeat Visit
If you've completed a Digital Immigration Card on a previous trip, you can retrieve your previously entered personal information (using your email, date of birth, and passport number) to speed up the process next time. You'll still need to enter fresh flight and accommodation details for each trip.
Passport Control at Hato Airport: Three Ways Through
Curaçao offers three distinct paths through passport control, each with its own eligibility rules.
Standard Passport Control
An in-person officer reviews your documents and stamps your passport. This is the only available option for travelers arriving with children aged 16 or younger in their group.
eGates
Automated, passport-scanning gates that are typically faster than the standard line. To use eGates, you need to be 17 or older, hold a relatively recent passport with an embedded chip, and have completed your Digital Immigration Card at least 24 hours in advance.
Curaçao Express Pass
Available since July 2024, this app-based option lets eligible travelers complete passport-control steps in advance of departure. It's available to travelers aged 16 or older arriving from Europe, the United States, or Canada.
Other Entry Requirements for Curaçao
Passport Validity and Return Tickets
Your passport needs to remain valid for the full duration of your stay. Authorities also expect to see a return or onward ticket as proof you'll be leaving the island again.
Visa-Free Stays and Extensions
Visitors can stay in Curaçao for up to 90 days within a calendar year without a visa. If you need longer, you can request an extension at immigration on arrival, provided you can show travel insurance covering the extended period.
Yellow Fever Vaccination
A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required only for travelers arriving from a country with yellow fever transmission risk.
Customs Rules
Separate from the Digital Immigration Card, Curaçao has its own customs rules on what can be brought into or out of the island. Declare anything that might be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Paying a third-party website for something that's free at the official source — this exact scam is unusually well-documented for Curaçao specifically
The Digital Immigration Card is free directly from the official source — this scam is common enough for Curaçao that it's worth double-checking you're on the right site before paying anything.
Assuming one card covers your whole family — every traveler, including children, needs their own submission
Every traveler, including children, needs their own individually submitted Digital Immigration Card — one adult's submission doesn't cover the rest of the family.
Assuming cruise passengers need to complete the form — they generally don't, unless staying overnight on the island
Cruise passengers on a same-day port call generally don't need to file — the requirement mainly applies if you're staying overnight on the island.
Waiting until the last minute and then discovering you needed a printed copy
Some checkpoints still expect a printed copy alongside the digital confirmation, so print yours ahead of time rather than finding out at the airport.
Overlooking the separate eligibility rules for eGates and the Express Pass, which go beyond simply completing the Digital Immigration Card
Completing the Digital Immigration Card alone doesn't automatically qualify you for eGates or the Express Pass — those have their own separate eligibility requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Curaçao Digital Immigration Card?
A mandatory online form for all air travelers to Curaçao, collecting personal, travel, and accommodation information for immigration purposes. Also commonly called the ED Card.
Is the Digital Immigration Card the same as the ED Card?
Yes. "ED Card" is simply the older name carried over from the paper form this digital process replaced.
Is the Digital Immigration Card free?
Yes, at the official site, dicardcuracao.com. This requirement has an unusually well-documented history of unauthorized third-party sites charging a fee for the same free process, so double-check the URL before you pay anyone anything.
How far in advance can I submit it?
Sources disagree — anywhere from 48 hours (per UK government travel advice) up to 7 days (per several independent travel sources) before travel.
Do children need their own Digital Immigration Card?
Yes, every traveler needs an individual submission, including infants and children, though a parent or guardian can complete it on their behalf.
Do cruise passengers need to complete it?
Generally no, as long as they aren't staying overnight on the island outside the ship.
Can I edit my Digital Immigration Card after submitting it?
Yes, the official site allows submitted cards to be updated if travel details change or a mistake was made.
Do I need to print my confirmation?
Guidance varies on this point. To be safe, we'd recommend printing a copy in addition to keeping a digital version accessible.
Get Help With Your Curaçao Digital Immigration Card
To be clear one more time: the Digital Immigration Card is free, and you can complete it yourself at dicardcuracao.com in a few minutes. If you'd rather have someone review your entries for accuracy, walk you through the process, or simply handle it on your behalf, that's exactly what our assisted-filing service is for — an optional, paid convenience for travelers who want a bit of extra support, never a requirement.
Get started with your Curaçao Digital Immigration Card today.