Closing on Condo this week.. Docs needed to stay for 180 days...

[Andrea J.]

Clarification excellent!!!!
If you have it can you provide contact info?
I will make it a sticky so people can access it easily.
thanks

Thanks Robin. I was going down the wrong path with DIMAS, hence the frustration. Once I figured out it wasn't DIMAS, but IASA who had the answers, it was no longer confusing.

For anyone that may be facing the same challenges, DIMAS is for working and living in Aruba as a resident, or interested in opening a business in Aruba.

IASA is for short stay non-resident as per their website: "Tourist stay, visa, stay extensions and related issues is handled by Immigration Department"

[robin]

That is good information. Good luck with closing tomorrow. I know how exciting it is!

Thanks Robin. I was going down the wrong path with DIMAS, hence the frustration. Once I figured out it wasn't DIMAS, but IASA who had the answers, it was no longer confusing.

For anyone that may be facing the same challenges, DIMAS is for working and living in Aruba as a resident, or interested in opening a business in Aruba.

IASA is for short stay non-resident as per their website: "Tourist stay, visa, stay extensions and related issues is handled by Immigration Department"

[schexc]

Clarification excellent!!!!
If you have it can you provide contact info?
I will make it a sticky so people can access it easily.
thanks

https://www.government.aw/governance...3989/letter/I/

[Travelinman]

Ok.. Got that figured out... Now the tax bill. Ugh. My understanding is that the tax bill will be mailed to my property here in Aruba in the summer when I may not be on the island. No other options... True or false?

thanks.

[robin]

We were told that they are supposed to mail it to your property in Aruba in the summer, but it could be whenever they get them done-usually in June. You have to wait until you get your first bill to know who much it will be, then for the next 5 years the bill will stay the same(unless they change the tax rate). Once you know what your bill will be, you can go in and pay it at anytime. It is billed in Florins and must be paid in Florins. Our bill goes to Oceania and property manager picks it up along with the rest of the condos they manage and pays it out of our account with them. We are paying just over $2700 on the condo vs well over $8000 on our home.

[schexc]

Out tax bill gets mailed to our condo address. Since our management company is on sight, they will intercept it and pay it out of management account.

I will add a couple of things...

1. Make sure you check the tax office's calculations. Ours has been over assessed for the last three years and we filed appeals for each tax year.

2. Also keep tabs on your auto insurance. Our account was credited in error and paid in full by someone else. The can't trace the transaction, as it was paid in cash. Wonder where that went . The poor individual won't find out until they file a claim or renew next year. We are still covered until that takes place.

[Kent-ArubaBob]

Travelinman! Just to give you a heads up! I have been a Resident for 9 years now and I did learn 1 thing the HARD way! You can line up 10 Arubians and ask them the same question and I guarantee you, you are going to get 10 different answers! I pretty well lost all my hair over the process! LOL!! AB

[annf]

Travelinman! Just to give you a heads up! I have been a Resident for 9 years now and I did learn 1 thing the HARD way! You can line up 10 Arubians and ask them the same question and I guarantee you, you are going to get 10 different answers! I pretty well lost all my hair over the process! LOL!! AB

Ditto and this includes 'government departments' per Dimas and Immigration (and if the wind is blowing or it has rained!!) You likely won't have trouble staying but you might have trouble on reentry. Keep in mind Aruba is a friends and family kind of place....they have not caught up with the 21st century. Not a Banana Republic but not many steps above! Good luck!

[Stanley]

We always recommend a agency for this. Solayka will will be happy to assist you and take the head ache out of this.process. Contact S. Clarinda Consultancy if you need help. GOOD LUCK!

[jdattilio]

Here is the story as it was explained to me. I looked up that phone number I was given and it went to IASA so I drove to IASA (Migracion Aruba). I spoke to the officer and he said there are 2 rules of the 180 day rule:

1) You are allowed to stay 180 days per calendar year.
2)You can not stay longer than 180 consecutive days even if you overlap from 2020 to 2021. ie - You can stay from October 1 to March 30 (180 days) and then you must leave the island for at least 24 hours. You can then return 24 hours later and stay for your remaining 90 days in CY 2021. You can not visit Aruba again until 2022.

Thanks Travelinman,

I wanted to add some more details on the 180 day calendar rule. I travel out of Aruba on short notice back to the US, so I often end up with a complicated set of ED cards -- this year I have 6! The computer system to calculate your days is not perfect and can get confused. Last week I left for a week and was told during re-entry that I exceeded my 180 day limit. I knew this wasn't correct but it created a serious jam for me.

• I carry a copy of my deed now as proof of home ownership. They would not let me back in without a copy of this! Fortunately my wife emailed me a copy while I was standing in front of the plexiglass window.
• I visited the same IASA (Migracion Aruba) office in town and they were very helpful. They calculated my correct # of remaining days and can provide a letter to avoid future hassles at the border for the remainder of the year.

If you bounce back in forth a lot like me, it doesn't hurt to ask how many days you have remaining. Much better to spot this problem early!