Car buying and home ownership in Aruba

[Travelinman]

Hi, I am closing on my condo next week here in Aruba and plan on staying for 180 days or less. I have a few questions.

1) How do I stay for 180 days once I close on my condo? Do I need to fill out paperwork or just show the deed to immigration?
a) If I am already here on the island, can I extend my stay somehow once I have my deed?

2) What is required to buy a car here if paying cash? (ie - Do I need a bank account, Aruba based insurance, tax id, etc)

3) As a non-resident I noticed that Aruba Bank likes to charge crazy fees.. Any other options for a bank account without fees?

4) any other suggestions/ tips? I am not interested in staying here for more than 180 days.

Thanks in advance to all those that have jumped through these hoops...

[robin]

Congrats on your condo! Where is your condo?

You need a Person's Number to purchase a car. You do need car insurance. The car dealership can help you with registration. I believe you have to have the registration before you can get the insurance-it's backward from the US or at least NJ. Car insurance is inexpensive compared to our insurance in NJ. I think we did a bank transfer for our car. We have our condo and car insurance through the same agent. Also, how they handle accidents is different than in the US and the insurance works differently too if you have an accident-tends to cover more depending on the age of the vehicle.

We do not have a bank account on the island. Our management company handles everything for us other than our insurances and car registration. We pay for that with cash.

Yearly registration and taxes(anything government related) cannot be paid with US dollars. We just take out Florins. Also, they change license plates yearly and there is a fee for that. There is a separate fee for inspection which is done I think every 2 years, but don't quote me on that.

[Travelinman]

Thanks Robin! I bought my place at Palmaruba. I went to a car dealer and they explained it the same way. I need to get my ID# when I buy my place here. Then I can buy a car. Not much haggling at the car dealer from what I can tell. What insurance company do you use? Thanks!

[schexc]

You will get assigned a tax ID number when you close on the condo, but you have to go to the tax office to get the ID car. It will have your number recorded on it.
After you purchase the car, you will go to the tax office to register it. Then to the insurance company to get the insurance. Next back to an office, close to the tax department to get your plates. After that comes the inspection. Their office is past the airport, not to far from WEB. All of the above is renewed annually, except for the inspection, which is every two years. Everything but the inspection is walk in. You usually have to make and appointment for the inspection and then return to get it done. It's a bit of a process, but you should be able to get all of it done in a day, minus the inspection. We paid cash and US dollars for every transaction, except for the inspection. I don't recall of they required Afl or not. It was a small amount and we had it in Afl at the time.

Congratulation's on your condo purchase. We looked at those during pre-construction. They appeared to be constructed very well and designed with the owner in mind.,
We have yet to stay for that length of time. Best to check with DIMA's for that answer, as you will often get different answers to those questions from others. It's like a number of other things on the island, where regulations are in place but can be overlooked.

We do not have a bank account on the island.

[robin]

Our agent is Arjen deSmit
297-734-4434
arjen@verdant-insurance.com

We bought our car from Honda, and yes, no haggling. We bought a year end model and we had a pretty good deal on it. They also took care of the registration for us.

schexe bought his car after we did, so his info is really good. I also think they need your passport and surely your driver's license.


Which notary are you using?

I think you need to contact DIMAS about extending your stay.
DIMAS
Wilhelminastraat 31-33
Oranjestad, Aruba
Phone. +297 522 1500
Fax. +297 522 1505
Click here to email
DIMAS Aruba

[Travelinman]

Thanks for the info. I am using Derdengelden Johnson as my notary.
NOTARISPRAKTIJK JOHNSON

[robin]

We had Johnson, too and are using them for now for the garage we are buying on the property.

[Travelinman]

It is my further understanding that there are no car titles like in the US? Just a bill of sale? Is there any other paperwork I need to get from a private seller?

[robin]

We bought ours through a car dealer, so I really don't know. schexe may be able to answer the question.

[robin]

How did settlement go?