Aruba Family Residence in 2026

DIMAS separates family reunification from family formation. Eligibility depends on the sponsor’s immigration position, the relationship, age, household situation and, for children, custody and parental consent. A relationship alone is not enough to assume a permit outcome.

Family reunification

The DIMAS family-reunification page describes several situations, including family members joining a person admitted by law/non-permit status, joining a permanent resident, and specified reunification with a temporary resident who has lived legally in Aruba for the required period. Government/immigrant-worker situations have their own conditions.

For minor children, DIMAS emphasizes legal custody and the other parent’s permission for departure from the country of origin where relevant.

Family formation

The family-formation page covers formation through marriage and through birth or adoption. For marriage-based formation, DIMAS looks at the partners’ permit situation and common household. For a foreign minor joining a parent, the page requires the child to be unmarried and addresses the parent’s valid work/residence permit and custody where the parents are not married.

Work rights are not automatic

This is one of the most important Aruba family-residence rules: DIMAS expressly states that the family residence permit described on these pages does not allow the holder to work merely because family residence has been granted.

An adult family member who wants paid employment should separately check the Aruba work and residence route or another lawful work basis.

Common documents

DIMAS lists relationship and civil-status evidence such as:

  • marriage-registration extract;
  • birth certificate for a minor;
  • judicial documentation for adults where required;
  • adoption/custody/authority documentation; and
  • notarial or inspection-consent documents in specified cases.

Foreign civil documents may need legalization/apostille and translation depending on where and how they were issued.

Sponsor and income

The correct sponsor standard depends on the precise family category. Other DIMAS application materials use guarantor declarations and income evidence, but it would be inaccurate to state one universal family-income threshold for every family scenario without the route-specific current checklist. Applicants should use the exact current checklist generated for their category.

Processing

DIMAS FAQ states a general legal decision period of 12 weeks, with a possible additional 12-week period where DIMAS formally extends the handling time. Family files can take longer in practice when civil-status, custody or sponsor evidence is incomplete.

Renewal and long-term residence

Family residence is generally a temporary status unless the holder separately qualifies for a different status. A long period of legal residence can eventually be relevant to indefinite residence, but that route requires the full published 10-year/120-month history and continuity conditions.

Partner categories and admission by law

DIMAS also publishes a separate “living with your partner” category and specific admission-by-law declarations. Do not assume these are interchangeable with marriage-based reunification. The sponsor’s Dutch nationality, prior admission history or statutory category can change the legal basis.

Return to the Aruba residence hub, compare work residence, or browse the Caribbean region.

Official and supporting sources

Related routes in Aruba