Local Laws

CRIMINAL PENALTIES:  While you are traveling in Aruba, you are subject to its laws. Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different from our own.  In some places, you may be taken in for questioning if you don’t have your passport with you. In some places, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs could land you immediately in jail. These criminal penalties will vary from country to country. If you break local laws on Aruba, your U.S. passport won’t help you avoid arrest or prosecution.

There are also some things that might be legal in the country you visit, but still illegal in the United States.  You can be prosecuted in the United States for engaging in sexual conduct with children or for using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country regardless of the legality of these activities under that country’s laws.  Counterfeit and pirated goods are illegal in the United States and if you purchase them in a foreign country, you may prosecuted in the U.S.

Persons violating Aruba’s laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned. Aruba law is based on Dutch law, which allows for suspects to be held during an investigation by order of a judge without a hearing. Persons imprisoned on Aruba do not have the option of posting bond for their release.

Arrest notifications in host country: While some countries will automatically notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate if a U.S. citizen is detained or arrested in that country, others may not.  To ensure that the United States is aware of your circumstances, request that the police and prison officials notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate as soon as you are arrested or detained overseas.

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: Dutch law, in principle, does not permit dual nationality. However, there are exceptions to this rule. For detailed information, contact the Embassy of the Netherlands in Washington, DC, or one of the Dutch consulates in the United States. 

If you are a women traveling abroad, please review our travel tips forWomen Travelers.

LGBT RIGHTS: There are no legal restrictions on same-sex sexual relations or the organization of LGBT events on Aruba.  For more detailed information about LGBT rights on Aruba, you may review the State Department’s Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2013.  For further information on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) travel, please read our LGBT Travel Information page.

ACCESSIBILITY: While in Aruba, individuals with disabilities may find accessibility and accommodation very different from what you find in the United States. Many public areas and buildings are not wheelchair accessible.