Bonaire Visitor Tax
The Visitor Tax for the Tourists in the Island of Bonaire
All international tourists to the Island of Bonaire are asked to pay the new Bonaire Visitor Tax before or upon arrival to the Caribbean Island.
The Bonaire Visitor Tax us obligatory to all foreign travelers visiting the Island for business, education, health, and of course pleasure reasons. The tax is valid for the whole period of the stay.
The funds from the Visitor Tax will be allocated to help the development of the local education, business, and culture, infrastructure, as well as to preserve Bonaire’s wild nature and sea environment.
Apart from the Bonaire Visitor Tax, a cruise ship passenger tourist entry tax of USD 10$ will also be established with the tax being collected from every cruise passenger by the cruise lines.
3 Simple-to-Follow Steps to Pay the Bonnaire Visitor Tax and get Your Receipt:
- Complete the online Questionnaire
- Add the required personal data: names , birthdate,
- Fill in the information for your trip to Bonaire.
- Add up to five members of your family/travel party to the Questionnaire.
- Pay the Bonaire Visitor Tax through the secure payment platform
- You can use a debt or credit card, or your Paypal account
- Receive a FULL refund if the Bonaire Visitor Tax is refused
- Receive the QR Code to your personal email
- Print your unique QR Code and keep it with your passport
- DO NOT FORGET: Pay the Bonaire Visitor Tax a week prior traveling to avoid the lines at the ports of entrty
Bonaire Visitor Tax in a Brief
The Bonaire Visitor Tax is a tourist tax set in the summer of 2022 and targeting all non-residential visitors to the Island of Bonaire. The tax replaced two other travel fees until recently – the Rental Car Tax and the Room Tax.
The purpose of the new Visitor Tax has two aims – to cope with the impact of the tourism on Bonaire by preserving the nature and the sea life, and, in the same time, to promote the Island as a friendly tourist destination by allocating the funds from the Tax to the local business and infrastructure, the education, and the promotion and development of local culture through the organization of festivals.
Who needs to pay the new visitors tax?
- All foreign tourists to the island of Bonaire
- Travelers to the Island visiting for recreation, tourism, sports, health, business, or education purposes
- Transfer and transit passengers are asked too to pay their Bonaire Tax
Bonaire Visitor Tax Validity
- This is a single-paid, single-entry tax. Every visitor will receive a QR Code upon paying. When paid for a group of travelers, a separate QR Code for each traveler will be sent to the provided email.
- The Bonaire Visitor Tax is valid for one year unless used to entry the island.
Allowed period of stay
Foreign travelers are allowed to remain on the Island of Bonaire for no more than 90 consecutive days in a period of 6 months or more precisely – 180 days.
QR Code delivery
The QR Code – proof of paid Bonaire Visitor Tax will be sent by the provided through the questionnaire email within an hour after successfully paying the tax. Please. Once received, download it and keep it among your travel documents.
Service fee
- The Bonaire Visitor Tax is $104.00 and includes the $75.00 Bonaire government tourism tax.
- As of January 2023, all cruise lines entering Bonaire’s waters will collect an additional cruise tourist entry tax of $10 from each passenger.
The online Questionnaire
You can pay your Bonaire Visitor tax online or upon arrival at the designated kiosks at the Bonaire ports of entry. Paying online, however is highly advisable in order to skip the lines in front of the kiosks, to make the arrivals traffic smooth and easy but also to avoid any potential technical problems with the vending system.
In brief:
Trip Purpose
Pleasure, education, business, sports, and culture, as well when traveling in transit.
Validity
Valid for 90 consecutive days within a period of 180 days.
Bonaire Visitor Tax
Present your Bonaire Visitor Tax when asked to. Pay online and make a hard copy of the QR code to keep with your passport and travel reservations.
QR Code
You will obtain your unique QR Code by email after successfully paying the Bonaire Visitor Tax.
Service Fee
USD 104$ / person. The tax does include the USD 75$ government tourism tax. Each payment has a corresponded QR Code sent by email.
Online Questionnaire
Complete the online Questionnaire here.
FAQs:
The new Bonaire Visitor Tax – who is it for?
Bonaire’s visitor tax, also known as tourism tax, is required by each foreign tourist. Applicable as of the summer of 2022, the tax is obligatory for all travelers to the Island on purposes of business, health issues, education, any sports, or cultural events, and of course on tourism.
How long is the process of filling and paying the online questionnaire?
The online questionnaire is short and very easy form to complete, and it shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes. All you’ll need is to have your valid passport in front of you and to know the travel dates.
When and where will I receive my QR Code?
Upon successful payment, you will receive your personal QR Code as well as the payment confirmation of the e-mail address provided through the questionnaire. Please check the Bulk/Junk folder of your email in case you are still missing it.
What to do once I receive my QR Code?
Once you receive your personal QR Code – proof for your Bonaire Tourism Tax is paid, we highly recommend to both keep a screenshot on your mobile device as well as print a hard copy in case when asked to present it, your mobile devise is not handy or lacks power. Easily accessible, the hard copies may save you time and queuing.
How early can I pay the Bonaire Visitor Tax?
The earliest possible period to pay for your Bonaire Tax is a week prior arrival to Bonaire. This is due to avoid any disappointment in case your travel plans change.
Can I pay at Bonaire Airport upon arrival?
You can pay the Bonaire Visitor Tax at Bonaire International Airport at the designated kiosks. Although payments with debt and credit cards are accepted, remember that payments with DISCOVERY cards are not possible.
I used to visit Bonaire without having to pay any Visitor Tax. Why paying it now?
As of July 2022, the Island of Bonaire introduced the new Bonaire Visitor Tax which replaced the existing Room and Car rental taxes. This is the reason foreign visitors to the island are now asked to pay the new tax before stepping on Bonaire land.
Is Bonaire Tax a single-pay tax?
This tax is single-paid and is valid for every single visit to the Island.
Can I pay my Bonaire Tax if I don’t know the departure date?
It is impossible to successfully complete the online application form without choosing an arrival and departure dates. If you don’t know the exact return date yet, please choose one that is near but exceeds the time you plan to leave the Island.
In case you are traveling with a visa, and you are still not sure what the departure date is, choose a date by which you will have to leave Bonaire with compliance with your visa requirements.
I paid the Bonaire Tourism Tax but I did not receive the payment confirmation nor my QR Code by email
In case you have successfully paid the Bonaire Tourism Tax and you have not received your personal QR Code at the email added on the application form, you should check the Bulk/Junk folder of your e-mail. If you are still missing the confirmation email, please contact us immediately using the Contact Form. Our team will get in touch with you and will resend the QR Code.
Can I pay on behalf of another member of my travel group?
Yes. Our questionnaire allows you to complete the information and pay for up to five members of your travel group. In this case you will receive as many different QR Codes as the number of people you have applied for.
I prefer to receive different emails with the respective QR Code for each member of my travel group. Is it possible?
Although the questionnaire offers the opportunity to apply on behalf of up to five travelers, you could choose to complete and pay for five different applications instead. In this case, instead of five different QR Codes in a single email, you will receive five different emails with a single QR Code in each of them.
I’m not a Bonaire resident but I work for the Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland. Do I still need to pay the Bonaire Tax?
Yes. The Bonaire Tourism Tax is requested from all non-Bonaire citizens. As such, you too will have to pay for it before arriving on the Island.
I’m not a citizen of Bonaire but I own a real estate in the Island. Do I need to pay the Bonaire tax?
Yes. Since you are not a resident of the Island of Bonaire, you too will have to pay the new entry tax.
Are the room and rent-a-car taxes still valid?
No. The new Bonaire Visitor Tax actually replaced the room tax as well as the car rental tax with effect as of July 1st, 2022.
What about the Nature Fee, does the Bonaire Tax include that too?
No. The Nature Fee is still obligatory for all foreign visitors who come to the Island to Scuba dive or for any other activities in the Bonaire’s Marine Park.
I have paid the room and the car-rental taxes after the implementation of Bonaire Tourism Tax. Can I get a refund?
Yes, in case you have paid the former tourism taxes after July 1st, 2022, please, contact the car rental firm and the hotel.
Does the Bonaire Tax now also include the Nature fee?
No, the Entry Tax does not include the Nature Fee. Paying for the Nature Fee is still a separate requirement for all non-residents and visitors who wish to Scuba dive or take advantage of any of the activities offered by Bonaire’s Marine Park.
I have paid the room and the car-rental taxes after the implementation of Bonaire Tourism Tax. Can I get a refund?
Yes, you can. In case you have paid the former tourism taxes after July 1st, 2022, please, contact the car rental firm and the hotel you are staying at to obtain the refund.
I plan to immigrate to Bonaire. Will I still be subject to the new Visitor Tax?
You will not be asked to pay for the Bonaire Visitor Tax only if you can present a qualifying proof of residence for travelers in the process of migrating to Bonaire. This is a resident permit stamp issued by the the Country’s Immigration Office (IND) in the passport and can only act as a proof of residence in order to be exemption from the Bonaire Tax.
I am a resident of Bonaire. How can I prove it?
Since you are a Bonaire citizen, you could present a valid Sedula – Bonaire I.D. You can also present tangible proof of a sedula in process.
I arrived in Bonaire in my own boat. Do I still need to pay the visitor entry tax (VET)?
As the Bonaire Tax is mandatory for all foreign visitors, you too will have to pay and obtain your own QR Code.
Are holders of diplomatic passports exempt from paying the Bonaire Tax?
No, they are not. As an international visitor to the island of Bonaire, diplomatic passport holders are too required to pay Visitors Tax.
Are there any COVID-19-related travel requirements to enter Bonaire?
So far Bonaire is free to visit and has no Covid-19 related limitations nor requirements. However, in case of change in situation, we advise you to check for updates immediately before making plans to travel.
Can I contact customer support if I need help?
Yes, our Customer support team is available for you 24/7. We will assist you when you need help or additional information. We are here to help when you need assistance in filling in the application form, you are missing the email with your personal QR Code, or you just need additional information.
Remember: The new Bonaire Tourism Tax is mandatory for all foreign visitors no matter the reason for staying on the island. As a tourist to Bonaire you will receive QR Code as proof of paid Tourism Tax. This QR Code must be presented upon arrival at the ports of entries.
Short and easy, the online application form takes only a couple of minutes to be completed. Applicants will be required to add their names and date of birth, passport number, arrival and departure dates, as well as their e-mail address. Upon successful payment, the applicants will receive by email their personal QR Code.