The Caribbean Netherlands are the three special municipalities of the Netherlands. They are made up of the islands of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba. The term “Caribbean Netherlands” is sometimes used to refer to all of the islands in the Dutch Caribbean. Officially, the three islands are also known as the BES islands, which is the acronym of their names. The islands are Overseas Territories of Holland (The Netherlands).

While Dutch is the official language, English and Papiamento are also widely spoken on the islands. Tourism, like in many of the other isles, is important to the economy of all three of the BES islands. Bonaire’s capital is Kralendijk, Sint Eustatius’s is Oranjestad and Saba’s is The Bottom. The economy is boosted by salt production in addition to the emphasis on tourism.

Filing Requirements

Registration

  • Local filing available. Validity period – 10 yrs from filing date.
  • Master AOAs signed by proprietor and notarized.
  • Declaration for Priority, signed by proprietor and notarized.
  • Priority filing accepted.
  • Only original documents will be accepted.
  • Classification system – International Classification System
  • Multi-class applications are allowed.

Renewal

  • Master AOAs signed by proprietor and notarized.
  • Six months’ grace period.
  • Local – 10 yrs from renewal date.
  • Copy of BES Re-Confirmation Certificate must be provided.

Madrid Protocol

  • Caribbean Netheralands is a party to the Madrid Protocol.