If you’re thinking of visiting Suriname, you may have to apply for a Suriname visa first. But the good news is that the Suriname visa policy is very lenient, and the application process is done entirely online.
Foreign nationals who want to enter Suriname have to either get a Suriname Tourist Card or a Visa. Whether you need one or the other depends on your nationality. You can get both the Suriname Visa and Tourist Card online, but the process of obtaining the Tourist Card is quicker.
There are also certain nationals who can enter Suriname without a visa for touristic purposes.
This article will detail the Suriname visa application process, what documents you will need, the visa fees, and more.
Who Needs a Suriname Visa?
You have to apply for a Suriname visa if:
You are not from a country that is exempt from visa requirements (below)
You are not from a country that is eligible for a Suriname Tourist Card (below)
You are exempt from visa requirements or eligible for a Tourist Card but you want to stay longer than 30 or 90 days
Suriname Visa Exemptions
If you are from one of the following countries, you do not need a visa to visit Suriname for up to six months:
Antigua and BarbudaArgentinaAruba*BahamasBarbadosBelizeBonaire*BrazilCuraçao*DominicaGrenadaGuyanaIsraelJamaicaMontserrat**Saba*Saint Kitts and NevisSaint LuciaSaint Vincent and the GrenadinesSint Eustatius*Sint Maarten*Trinidad and Tobago
*Only if you have a Dutch passport.
**Only if you have a British Overseas Territories Citizen passport issued by Montserrat.
If you are from one of the following countries, you do not need a visa for Suriname for up to 90 days:
Hong Kong
Japan
Russia
If you are from one of the following countries, you do not need a visa for Suriname for up to 30 days:
Malaysia
Philippines
Serbia
South Korea
If you have a diplomatic, official or service passport issued by one of the following countries, you do not need a visa:
Chile
China
Colombia
Costa Rica*
Cuba
Ecuador
Haiti
India
Indonesia
Japan
Uruguay
Venezuela*
*Diplomatic passports only.
Who Is Eligible for a Suriname Tourist Card?
If you are from one of the following countries, you can apply for a Suriname Tourist Card online at least 72 hours before you intend to travel:
AustriaBelgiumBoliviaCanadaChileChinaColombiaCosta RicaCubaCzech RepublicDenmarkDominican RepublicEcuadorEl SalvadorEstoniaFinlandFranceGermanyGreeceGuatemalaHondurasHungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaItalyLatviaLiechtensteinLithuaniaLuxembourgMaltaMexicoNetherlandsNicaraguaNorwayPanamaParaguayPeruPortugalSerbiaSingaporeSlovakiaSloveniaSpainSwedenSwitzerlandTurkeyUnited Arab EmiratesThe United Kingdom and Northern IrelandUnited States of AmericaUruguayVenezuela
You must be travelling for tourism purposes and you cannot stay longer than 90 days.
Can You Get a Suriname Visa on Arrival?
No, you can no longer receive a Suriname Visa on Arrival. Until October 2019, those who were eligible for the Tourist Card were able to get it at the airport. But now, you have to apply for a Tourist Card online instead.
The only ones who are eligible for a Suriname Visa On Arrival are:
Holders of diplomatic, service, or official passports or holders of Interpol passport or ID cards who
Have an official invitation from a Surinamese Authority or from the National Security Office and
Are travelling on duty.
The Suriname Visa on Arrival for these categories is valid for 2 months.
Suriname Visa Requirements
Your passport’s bio page. The passport must be valid for at least another six months.
Your travel itinerary (not your flight ticket)
Proof of accommodation in Suriname (hotel reservation, booking, letter of invitation, etc)
A passport-size picture with the following requirements:
Dimensions: 3×4 cm
White background
No shadows, glare, or over/under exposure
You must be facing ahead
Your entire face has to be visible
If you wear prescription glasses, they cannot cover your face. Sunglasses, glasses with thick rims, or tinted glasses are not allowed.
If you wear religious headgear, make sure it does not cover your face. Other types of headgear (hats, headbands, etc) are not allowed.
For Suriname Business Visa:
Reference letter from the business partner in Suriname
Extract/Certificate of the Chamber of Commerce & Industry (issued within 6 months)
Invitation letter from the relevant entity. If you are applying for a visa for volunteer work, commercial activities, etc.
Recent Medical Report or Health certificate. (Issued within 3 months)
Police certificate from your country. (Proving you have “good conduct”)
Proof of financial solvency. (eg. bank statements)
For Suriname Study Visa:
A Reference Letter
Letter of acceptance
Letter of scholarship (if applicable)
For Suriname Work Visa:
Employment invitation letter in English
Reference letter (from the new employer and previous employer)
The company’s resume from the Chamber of Commerce
The company’s business license
Copies of diplomas and certificates
Work contract with job description and requirements
Your CV
For Family Reunion Visa:
Marriage certificate for spouses
Birth certificate or other documents which prove familial relation
Statement of your Guarantor/Sponsor in Suriname
For minors:
Authorization from the parent(s) as well as a copy of the family book or birth certificate if:
The minor is travelling alone
The minor is travelling with only one of the parents (consent from the other parent)
If the minor is adopted/under legal guardianship: A copy of the judicial decision
Several of the documents, such as birth/marriage certificates, have to be legalized before submission.
How to Apply for a Suriname Visa?
You have to apply for a Suriname visa online. It is the Surinamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs that decides whether to issue your visa or not, but they have outsourced visa application submissions to a visa application agency. The application process is as follows:
Register at the Suriname visa application website here. Answer all the questions and enter all the information that is required.
Collect the required documents. Make electronic copies of them and attach them on the Suriname visa online application system. See the required documents for a Suriname Visa under “Suriname Visa Requirements”
Pay the Suriname Visa fee (electronically). Please note that you must also pay a service fee. See “Suriname Visa Fees” below for more.
Wait for the visa to be processed.
You will receive your visa by email. You must print it and show it to the Immigration Officers at the entry point in Suriname.
Applying for a Suriname Tourist Card
The application for a Suriname Tourist Card is the same as for a visa. You have to register on the online application platform, attach the required documents, and pay a fee (USD 40 plus a USD 14 service fee). However, the difference between the Visa and the Tourist Card is that you need fewer documents. For a Suriname Tourist Card, you only have to submit:
A copy of your passport’s bio-page
Your flight ticket or itinerary
A picture with 3 cm x 4 cm dimensions and a white background
After you submit the application, you will receive your Tourist Card in your email within approximately 72 hours. You have to print it out and show it to the Immigration Officers at the airport in Suriname along with your passport.
How to Receive the Suriname Visa or Tourist Card?
You will receive the Suriname visa or Tourist Card on your email address. You can also download it on the visa application website as a PDF file. You have to print it and show it to the Immigration officers.
What Is the Processing Time for a Suriname Visa?
A Suriname visa application is processed within 72 hours. It can take longer if it is during the holidays. However, if it takes longer than 5 days, you should contact the visa agency that is handling your application.
What Is the Duration of a Suriname Visa?
A Suriname visa can be issued for the following durations:
Suriname Tourist Visa: Two months (single or multiple-entry); Twelve months (multiple-entry)
Suriname Business Visa: Two months; two years; five years (Multiple-entry)
Suriname Transit Visa: Three days
Suriname Tourist Card: 90 days
What Are the Suriname Visa Fees?
When you apply for a Suriname visa, you have to pay a fee, depending on the type and duration of your visa:
Visa typeValidityVisa feeSuriname Tourist visaSingle-entryUSD 45Multiple-entries (2 months)USD 45Multiple-entries (12 months)USD 210Suriname Tourist Card3 monthsUSD 40Suriname Business VisaMultiple-entries (2 months)USD 60Multiple-entries (2 years)USD 360Multiple-entries (5 years)USD 100Suriname Transit Visa3 daysUSD 15
You have to pay the Suriname visa fee using a MasterCard, Visa and Maestro credit or debit card. In addition to the Suriname visa fee, you have to pay a service fee to the visa application agency as well (USD 14).