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• Permanent Residence Permit

 

When requesting a residence-permit without a working permit, one must submit:

1.bank references indicating that the applicant is financially self-supporting or any other proof that he/she will not become a financial burden to the local government or community

2. the home and business addresses for the last ten years
3. the reasons for wanting to reside in Aruba
4. police-clearance (good conduct-paper, not older than 2 months)

 

Persons desiring a permanent residence-permit must be in possession of:

6. a passport valid for Aruba
7. three passport photographs of true likeness
8. a valid vaccination certificate for smallpox, not more than three years old
9. a medical declaration that the holder is not suffering from any contagious disease or mental sickness, issued within 30 days before the trip started
10. a proof of payment of the required legal fee

Just Visiting

If you plan to stay in Aruba for less than 90 days you need a U.S. passport, a valid return ticket leaving Aruba within 90 days and sufficient funds to support yourself while you are in Aruba. You are not allowed to work.

Staying Awhile

If you are staying more than 90 days but do not intend to move to Aruba permanently, you need the same items mentioned in section one plus a temporary residence permit. Again, you are not allowed to work or conduct business in Aruba and must be self-sufficient. All forms can be obtained from the Directorate of Alien Integration, Policy and Admission (DIMAS).

Moving In

If you're moving permanently to Aruba, you will need a permanent residence permit. To obtain one without also obtaining a work permit, you need: a bank statement showing you have funds to support yourself without working, proof of address for the past 10 years, a valid reason for moving to Aruba, and a clear police record for two months previous. In addition you will need a valid passport, three passport-sized photos and a clear medical history with smallpox vaccination. You are advised to have your permit before moving rather than apply for it while on the island.

Working in Aruba

If you plan to work in Aruba, you will also need a work permit. These are not easily obtained because jobs are filled with local Arubans first. Generally, you will need to secure employment before arriving and have the employer file for a work permit for you.
all content is subject to change. please check the website www.dimasaruba.com
for the up-to-date information.

Should You Borrow Against Your Home? By Miriam Engeln, blogger since 2004.

Should You Borrow Against Your Home? By Miriam Engeln, blogger since 2004.

ARUBA life: Why move to Aruba and why to get the hell out! Come to Aruba for sun and fun living.

ARUBA life: Why move to Aruba and why to get the hell out! Come to Aruba for sun and fun living.

4 tips for living on a budget

(So soon you can afford to pay your bills on time and even save money to purchase property)

 

Living on a tight budget can be straining. Setting financial goals and creating a budget are great starting points to making things work on a tight budget, but just as important is developing healthy and smart financial habits. Overspending often adds more stress to your life; the key is to live below your means to give yourself more financial freedom. You can do a variety of things to live on a tight budget.

Create a Budget

• Creating a budget is not always the easiest thing to do, but it is an important step to keep finances in order. Provide as much detailed information as possible on the budget sheet in order to see where money is coming from and where it is going. Include all bank and investment statements, recent bills, and income statements, as well as any other paper containing income or expense information. If some numbers vary each month, use a monthly average. Keep records of income and bills. Break the expenses into two categories, fixed and variable, to give a clear idea of what is an essential expense, like mortgage, rent, car payments, bills and credit cards, and what will vary monthly, like groceries, eating out and entertainment. Your goal is to get the budget sheet to have more income than expenses. This will most likely take some budget adjustments over a few months/ years. If you have a surplus, you can put that money towards a down payment on a property.

Food

• Food is an essential part of life, bit it is often one of the first things people cut back on when having a tight budget. The key to smart food budget management is smart shopping. Coupons and sales are a great start to minimizing the budget, but do not waste food, either. Plan the menu and make the grocery list according to your weekly menu. Also, properly handle the food by freezing it or consuming it before it goes bad. Buying in bulk can also save a lot and mean fewer trips to the store.

Habits

• Developing healthy and smart financial habits is the key to making things work on a tight budget. Pay bills on time. Meeting deadlines will not only prevent service interruptions, it will also save money on late fees. Set up a standing order at the bank or pay bills online automatically to ensure bills are paid on time. For other expenses, set up an "envelope system" that will help keep you from overspending on various expenses each month or pay period. An envelope system is when you designate a letter envelope monthly expenses, like groceries or entertainment, and put a set amount of cash for each category into the envelopes. When the money is gone for a particular category, you have to wait until the next paycheck to replenish and spend in that category. That way, you spend only what your budget allows for in that category.

Basic Money Saving Tips

• Stop spending on fancy coffees, expensive lunches, smoking and drinking, entertainment, and all other items or services that are not a necessity. This might mean canceling the cable, cutting back on cellphone features, take your own drinks and chairs to the beach, and stop smoking. Instead borrow movies from friends, rent books from the library, and pack a lunch every day.

This article is presented to you by Miriam Engeln, working in sales at Century 21 Aruba, tel: (297) 5864242. For real estate inquiries please call or email: miriam@arubahouses.com

 

 

Moving to Aruba

Moving to Aruba

A Look at 2014 Housing Predictions

 

By Miriam Engeln, Aruba blogger since 2004; www.arubaconnections.blogspot.com and real estate sales agent at Century 21 Aruba.

As 2013 slips into the past, it's time to look forward to try to get a glimpse at what the coming year will hold for the housing market. The past year was definitely a year of recovery, with home prices gaining percentage and sales reaching a fever pitch in late spring. While a summer spike in interest rates took some of the momentum out of the market during the remainder of the year, economists are expecting good things for 2014. Here's a look at a few of those forecasts;
Increasing Inventory
Experts believe that inventory will increase in 2014 as rates move up and prices stabilize. "The pace of home value appreciation has leveled off and is beginning to slow down after peaking this summer. Much of this year's rapid growth in home values can be attributed to very strong demand, as low mortgage interest rates, relatively low home prices and a slowly improving economy helped draw buyers into the market,". "This slowdown in home value appreciation will contribute to a more balanced market and will help to ease some emerging affordability problems in a handful of very hot markets".
Rising Home Sales
"Despite rising mortgage rates and continued property-value appreciation, housing will remain generally affordable in most parts of the world."  "With household formations expected to pick up and new home completions gaining more slowly, for-sale inventories may remain tight and vacancies low."
Decreasing Affordability
Not everyone foresees an improvement in home price affordability for 2014 though. Even if prices do not accelerate as quickly as they did in 2013, some believe that inventory will not be able to catch up with demand in the coming year. "We've come off of record high housing affordability conditions in the past year, and are now at a five-year low, but conditions are still the fifth best in the past 40 years. While the median-income family in many areas will still be well positioned to buy a home in 2014, income is barely budging given growth in consumer prices."
Investors Replaced By Repeat Buyers
Analysts at a housing market data website expects investors to take a back seat to primary residence purchases in the coming year. "2013 was the year of the investor, but 2014 will be the year of the repeat home buyer." "Investors buy less as prices rise: higher prices mean that the return on investment falls and there's less room for future price appreciation." He went on to say that repeat buyers will fill in the gap left from retreating investors, because unlike first-time home-buyers, they often have enough for down payments from the current equity in their homes.
In sum, economists see 2014 as year of increasing home sales and a moderate rise in home prices. Inventory will increase but not fast enough. Investors will exit the scene as foreclosures continue to decline and provide fewer distressed and discounted properties on the market. And if the unemployment rate can continue to tick down and incomes can increase more, the housing market will be on solid footing by the end of next year.