KRALENDIJK – Island children of Bonaire who are studying abroad and travel back to Bonaire do not have to pay the Visitor Entry Tax (tourist tax), which comes into effect on 1 July, if they are participants under the Student Finance Act BES (Wsf BES). The Island Council has determined this in the “Tourist Tax Ordinance” of 12 April 2022.

The student finance department of the Rijksdienst Dutch Caribbean (RCN) will send all students who qualify for this dispensation a ‘Statement for exemption from tourist tax Bonaire’. In this way, from 1 July, these students will be able to attest that they are BES students. This statement must be presented on arrival on Bonaire.

Most students who study in accordance with the Wsf BES Act, or who receive a ‘Dutch’ student grant, but obtained a start-up allowance from the BES student fund, have by now received this statement by email. This statement is valid for 3 months. Starting from the new academic year this statement will be sent to all students annually.

How does it work?

Most young people who leave Bonaire to study elsewhere, have had to register in their new place of residence and, therefore, no longer have a valid Bonaire Sedula.

If you were a Bonaire resident and you left Bonaire in order to study abroad with a BES student grant, you will automatically receive the “Statement for exemption from tourist tax Bonaire” by email. Print this statement and bring it with you when you travel back to Bonaire. Do not forget to register via the website bonaireisland.com prior to your trip in order to receive a QR code. With both this QR code and your statement you can prove that you are a BES student and that you do not have to pay the Visitor Entry Tax upon arrival on Bonaire.

If you did not receive the statement by email prior to 1 July and you plan on traveling to Bonaire soon, then visit the RCN student finance Facebookpage (https://www.facebook.com/rijksdienstcaribischnederland.studiekrediet) for more information.