We can STAY LONGER

[colm69]

Andrea J. i was only there for the two weeks but i am just curious/worried that this may become an issue on future visits

[damnyankeeuk]

I wouls be A bit worried about making a long term investment, such as buying a property when you see how fast, and often they change their minds on the rules.

Also, I read on here that they are planning on restarting up the oil refinery? Where is this exactly? I havenightmares thinking what an accident or spillage would do to the island, not to mention the effects of tourism.

I think opening it would be a huge mistake.....

[Andrea J.]

i would consider it a closed issue.
i do not think anyone in aruba immigration would give it a 2nd look or 2nd thought.

if it ever comes up (and that is incredibly doubtful) there are so many ways to prove you were not in aruba all of that time and it was just a clerical error.

if anyone disagrees, and thinks colm should investigate and have the dates remediated, please post and say why.

andrea

Originally Posted by colm69

Andrea J. i was only there for the two weeks but i am just curious/worried that this may become an issue on future visits

[lizzardo]

I wouldn't worry about it either. I think the new system does a 'swipe' off your passport and so the stamps aren't even looked at. When we traveled in Aug -
they had the year wrong too. I wouldn't sweat it unless you are going to
stay the max of 6 months. Even in that case i'm sure that the airport knows
that they have a problem w/ the stamps and would give you a pass. They
are not unreasonable people from all the reports I get from other's experiences with them. From what I hear, they are very accommodating.

I don't think that 6 months if you are intending on living part time in the US and Aruba is not a reasonable time.

All countries have a 'cut-off' time of when you are permitted to stay and if you are living in that country longer you have to file for residency.

I don't think Aruba is slamming the door on anyone. I know a lot of people who own homes and live part time on the island and 6 months is fine with them.
If you are going to move here full time - they aren't asking for anything
that is over the top. If you are 'in between 6+ and 11 months, I'm not sure
if you can file for something else than residency. You'd have to ask an
expert on that.

[Arubalisa]

Originally Posted by damnyankeeuk

I wouls be A bit worried about making a long term investment, such as buying a property when you see how fast, and often they change their minds on the rules.

This is always a possiblitly. I live in the U.S. and their laws change all of the time and I do not necessarily agree with. Best example, when we purchased our home we expected some increases in our real estate taxes however we do not receive any increase in services and have no say in when and where. In other words, "often they change their minds on the rules."

Also, I read on here that they are planning on restarting up the oil refinery? Where is this exactly?

The refinery is in San Nicolas at the southern end of the island.
Valero is the present owner of the refinery. The refinery is set up to process heavy sour crude which is more expensive than refining of light sweet crude.
Valero is looking for a buyer.

I havenightmares thinking what an accident or spillage would do to the island, not to mention the effects of tourism.

I think opening it would be a huge mistake.....

The oil refinery opened in 1928. Oil storage on that property was begun prior to that.

The last oil spill and only one I can find in my research had nothing to do with the refinery, but pollution coming in off of the Venezuelen coast.

"Oil tanker pollutes beaches of Aruba and Curaçao
27 Aug, 2008, 16:50 (GMT -04:00) Amigoe English
http://www.amigoe.com/artman/publish/artikel_45966.php
ORANJESTAD – The beaches on Aruba and Curaçao have probably been polluted by an oil tank at the Venezuelan coast. This is what both the Curaçao Haven Veiligheidsinspectie, (Curaçao port safety inspection) as well as Bibi Arends from the Aruban Bureau of disaster co-ordination believe.

Both sources are not 100 percent sure about the origin of the pollution, but the Curaçao Haven Veiligheidsinspectie (HIV) does report a ‘mystery spill’ in the vicinity of the Venezuelan coast. Also Arends points in the direction of the neighboring country. After Aruba received reports from oil smeared tourists on Saturday, Arends tried to determine its origin by police helicopter. “Even though I was informed hours too late, we were nevertheless able to determine that the long strip of ‘sheen’ (oil residue) lay twelve miles south of Oranjestad and ran from the west to the east, crossing the horizon towards Curaçao. I then warned the Antillean authorities.” Soon afterwards Breezes and also hotel Avila reported pollution problems.

The oil is in any case not from the harbor, which is sometimes the case with deviating wind streams, reports Curaçao. “The trail clearly led to the south, to the coast of Venezuela”, says Russel Henriquez of the HVI. Together with the Shipping Inspectorate and the authorities of Aruba they are investigating the identity of the polluter. The coast guard, however, doesn’t have the manpower to assist us, says spokesman Roderick Gouverneur. “Our role here is to ‘detect’ and to assist where necessary. We would for instance see to it that no ships pass through the oil spill. We don’t do the clean up, nor investigate, but we can draw up an official report.”

Valero
At first it seemed as if oil refinery Valero was the culprit. But now the source should be traced to a tanker. Henriquez: “If you have a trail that leads to a ship, then you can claim the damage.” According to Arends it will be difficult to track down. “Often they discharge during the night and have disappeared the next morning when the oil – mostly sheen- is discovered. Normally it dissolves by the sun and by the northeastern trade winds, but the circumstances were different this time, whereby the pollution was detected. The nature in the tropics can process it more swiftly than for example the North Sea where the cold climate makes it go more slowly. I am very disappointed to see that this situation is not being dealt with more aggressively. You only have to do it once and ‘the ships’ will adjust their actions automatically”