WILLEMSTAD – A growing number of travelers report being deceived by online platforms posing as official Curaçao government websites for visa or immigration applications. Victims are paying tens of euros for documents that are actually free — or not required at all. Payments are routed through a third-party account managed by payment service provider PAY.nl, with ING as the banking partner.
These websites present themselves as official portals, using terms like “mandatory travel document” and “official visa service.” In reality, travelers staying up to 90 days do not need a visa for Curaçao. The only required step is completing the Digital Immigration Card (DI-card), which is free and available exclusively through the official government website.
One traveler told Curaçao.nu that she realized only after paying that the DI-card does not cost money. When she contacted her bank, she was informed that because the payment was made via iDEAL, there was little the bank could do. The response — “Unfortunately, we cannot help you with this” — highlights how vulnerable consumers are when commercial websites impersonate government services.
ING Responds
ING confirmed to Curaçao.nu that the account linked to the payments does not belong to the website operators but is a third-party trust account managed by PAY.nl. The bank says it is in contact with the payment provider and acts immediately when similar warnings are received. Although ING declined to comment on how many reports have been filed, it stressed that any suspicious activity is escalated right away.
PAY.nl Ends Cooperation
PAY.nl stated that its initial investigation did not reveal clear evidence of fraud, noting that customers appear to receive the documents they paid for, along with what the company calls “added value.” However, the provider acknowledged receiving multiple complaints and has already begun the process of terminating its relationship with the website. The immediate closure is not possible due to contractual and legal obligations. PAY.nl urged affected customers to submit examples of documents that are not legally valid to help strengthen the investigation.
A Widespread Problem
Misleading visa websites are a global issue, often taking advantage of travelers unfamiliar with official procedures. Because payments are processed through PSPs, banks often cannot quickly block individual sellers unless there is clear proof of wrongdoing. As long as these sites remain online, more travelers risk being deceived.
Travelers who believe they have paid for invalid or unnecessary documents are advised to contact their bank or card issuer, file a report with PAY.nl, and — most importantly — use only the official government website to obtain the free Curaçao DI-card.
