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Bonaire
Caribbean
Lucky Nomads World Index
67.59 / 100
Global rank
#83
Corporate tax
7.5%
Personal tax
35.4%
Lucky Nomads Proprietary Indices
22 scoring dimensions scored independently using a deterministic methodology built on primary sources and structured analytical inference.
- SafetyShield Index8.5 / 10
- Affordability Index5.7 / 10
- Entry Ease Index6.2 / 10
- Tax Freedom Index6.0 / 10
- WiFi Index6.6 / 10
- Admin Ease Index7.5 / 10
- Healthcare Index7.4 / 10
- City Comfort Index7.9 / 10
- WeatherComfort Index6.8 / 10
- Banking Index7.7 / 10
- GeoStability Index9.4 / 10
- Justice & Order Index8.4 / 10
- Quality of Life Index8.0 / 10
- Open Society Index8.6 / 10
- Flight Index4.1 / 10
- Environmental Quality Index8.5 / 10
- English Index7.3 / 10
- Wealth Protection Index7.7 / 10
- AI Access Index6.3 / 10
- Economic Openness Index7.7 / 10
- Market Depth Index2.6 / 10
- ClimateShield Index5.7 / 10
Country snapshot
- Capital
- Kralendijk
- Population (approx.)
- 25,000
- Area (km²)
- 294 km²
- Currency code (ISO 4217)
- USD
- Currency name
- United States dollar
- Main airport IATA code
- BON
- Airport name
- Flamingo International Airport
General facts
- Minimum monthly cost
- From $2,150/month
- Main languages
- Papiamento
- Jurisdiction type
- Territory
- Region
- Caribbean
- Web TLD
- .bq
- Phone calling code
- +599
Web TLD and phone codes are general references and can differ for territories or special numbering plans.
Tax system
- Marginal CIT (corporate income tax)
- 7.5%Ultra lowWorldwide
- Marginal PIT (personal income tax)
- 35.4%HighWorldwide
Corporate taxation basis: Worldwide. The country generally taxes worldwide income of resident companies.
BES entities holding a vestigingsplaatsbeschikking (establishment ruling) are taxed on worldwide profits but only at distribution, similar to the Estonian deferred-profits model. Without the ruling, the entity is deemed established in the European Netherlands and falls under standard Dutch CIT plus dividend withholding.
No traditional corporate income tax. A 7.5 percent revenue tax (opbrengstbelasting) applies on profit distributions to direct or indirect shareholders, raised from 5 percent on 1 January 2025. Effective economic rate approximately 8.11 percent on a gross-up basis (100/92.5 multiplied by 7.5).
Personal income tax basis. Worldwide. Resident individuals are generally taxable on their worldwide income, subject to relief under applicable tax treaties.
Residents are taxed on worldwide income under the Wet inkomstenbelasting BES. Capital gains and rental income earned by individuals in their personal capacity are not subject to income tax. Real estate is taxed via the vastgoedbelasting at an effective rate of approximately 0.91 percent of value (with surcharge) on Bonaire.
Two-bracket flat structure: 30.4 percent on income up to USD 50,000 and 35.4 percent above. Tax-free allowance linked to BES statutory minimum wage since 2025. Substantial-interest dividends taxed at 7.5 percent. No wealth tax, no inheritance tax, no separate social security contribution system.
Tax percentages here are editorial reference figures for comparison, not individualized tax advice.
Special tax regimes
For companies
Belastingwet BES Distributed Profits Regime (Opbrengstbelasting)
AvailableCaribbean Netherlands corporate tax regime under the Belastingwet BES (BES Tax Law).
Small Businesses Scheme BES (Kleineondernemersregeling, KOR-BES)
AvailableAnnual turnover below USD 30,000 fully exempts a registered entrepreneur on Bonaire, Sint Eustatius or Saba from charging and remitting Algemene…
Vastgoedbelasting Investment Allowance (Investeringsregeling)
AvailableTemporary exemption from vastgoedbelasting (real estate tax) for newly constructed or substantially renovated immovable property on Bonaire, Sint…
For individuals
Small Businesses Scheme BES (Kleineondernemersregeling, KOR-BES)
AvailableAnnual turnover below USD 30,000 fully exempts a registered entrepreneur on Bonaire, Sint Eustatius or Saba from charging and remitting Algemene…
You either qualify for Bonaire's special tax regimes, or you don't. GeoCompass determines your eligibility, highlights the applicable conditions, and helps estimate your potential tax exposure.
Check my eligibilityVisa and mobility
Your access
Visa need and length of stay for Bonaire. Saved on your device.
Overview
- Citizenship by investment
Not currently available
- Residence by investment
Not currently available
- Remote work visa (digital nomad visa)
Not currently available
Programmes
Bonaire lists several residency and mobility routes across business founder routes, work (employer sponsored), work (self sponsored), retirement routes, family and dependant routes, and student and graduate routes. Lucky Nomads tracks these programmes as editorial reference points. Thresholds, documents, and personal eligibility are evaluated in GeoCompass against your exact profile.
9 programmes listed · 9 are marked available in our editorial review
Business founder routes
1 programmeFounder, entrepreneur, or company-linked pathways for people building a business locally.
- Available
Fixed-term Residence Permit (self-employment purpose)
Work (employer sponsored)
1 programmeEmployer-linked permits and skilled employment passes for hired professionals.
- Available
Fixed-term Residence Permit (paid employment purpose)
Work (self sponsored)
1 programmeSelf-sponsored work or freelance routes where you qualify without a local employer.
- Available
Declaration of Admittance by Law (Section 3 WTU-BES)
Retirement routes
3 programmesRetirement-age or pension-linked residence options.
- Available
Fixed-term Residence Permit (person of independent means purpose)
- Available
Fixed-term Residence Permit (retired person purpose)
- Available
Long-term Winter Visitor Residence Permit
Family and dependant routes
2 programmesSpouse, dependant, and family reunion style permits.
- Available
Fixed-term Residence Permit (family reunification or family formation purpose)
- Available
Indefinite-period Residence Permit (Verblijfsvergunning onbepaalde tijd)
Student and graduate routes
1 programmeStudy-linked permits and post-study transition routes.
- Available
Fixed-term Residence Permit (studies purpose)
Not all residency routes are accessible. Some require minimum income, investment thresholds, local substance, or strict eligibility conditions. GeoCompass evaluates which options you can actually secure in Bonaire.
Evaluate my residency optionsVisa and programme labels reflect editorial research, not individualized legal advice. Thresholds, documents, and personal eligibility are evaluated in GeoCompass. Always confirm rules with official government sources before you plan a move.
Dimensions breakdown
Strongest dimensions
- GeoStability Index9.4 / 10Exceptional geostability index
- Open Society Index8.6 / 10Very strong open society index
- Environmental Quality Index8.5 / 10Very strong environmental quality index
Weakest dimensions
- Market Depth Index2.6 / 10
- Flight Index4.1 / 10
Published ranks by index
One row per leaderboard we publish (the composite index plus each proprietary dimension). A rank appears only when this country is currently in the published top 10 for that list. Open a row to see the full ranking. Hover an index name for the same short definition as elsewhere on the site.
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Founder, Lucky Nomads · Wealth manager
Researched from official sources, leading global indices and Lucky Nomads' own scoring.
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