Everything You Need To Know About A Suriname Visa

Holders of ordinary British passports require a visa to travel to Suriname prior to their arrival in the nation. Whether you are traveling for tourism or business purposes, you have to apply for a visa in person either at the Suriname Consulate in Amsterdam or the Honorary Consul of Suriname in London. Below are the contact details:

Suriname Consulate in Amsterdam

Telephone: (00) (31) 206 426 137

Fax: (00) (31) 206 465 311

email: info@consulaatsuriname.nl

Suriname Honorary Consul in the UK:

Dr. Amwedhkar Jethu

127 Pier House

31 Cheyne Walk

London SW3 5HN

United Kingdom

Mobile: (44) (0)7768-196 326

Email: ajethu@honoraryconsul.info

As a British citizen you can apply for the following common visa types:

•  Tourist Visa
•  Business Visa
•  Visa for Internship or Voluntary Work
•  Special Visa
•  Transit Visa

Tourist Visa

A Surinamese tourist visa is available both in single and multiple entries. A single entry visa is valid for 2 months and multiple entry visas are valid for 2 months and 12 months. The maximum allowable stay is 90 days.

Documents required:

•  A completed, Online Visa Application form. Once you enter all the details, download it, and take a printout. Sign it and when you submit it, ensure that it is not older than 10 days.
•  A recent, colored photograph of dimensions 3 cm x 4 cm, glued on the right upper corner of the application form.
•  A passport with a minimum validity of 6 months and at least 2 blank pages
•  A copy of the flight ticket
•  A copy of the itinerary for the next destination
•  Documentation which proves that you will exit Suriname within 90 days.

Business Visa

Multiple entry business visas come with validities of 2 months and 2 years. They allow a maximum stay period of 90 days.

The primary documents are the same as that of a tourist visa, i.e. a valid passport, filled application form, and photographs. Supporting documents required are:

•  A copy of the registration with the Chamber of Commerce
•  An official letter of invitation from the hosting company in Suriname or an official letter of the company of representation
•  A copy of your travel itinerary

Visa for Internship or Voluntary Work

If you are traveling to Suriname for an internship or voluntary work, you can get an entry visa that allows you to stay here for a maximum period of 90 days. Apart from the primary documents, you will need a copy of the flight ticket and an official letter of the authorized institution/organization confirming the purpose and period of stay in Suriname.

Special Visa

A single entry, 2-months valid special visa allows you to enter Suriname in case of death in the immediate family. It also grants a maximum stay period of 90 days. In order to apply for a special visa, you must have Surinamese origins and must possess a copy of the death certificate and a copy of the family relation/connection.

Transit visa

A transit visa is granted if you are traveling to another country via Suriname and depart within 3 days of your arrival. The supporting documents needed are a copy of tickets and proof that you have been permitted entry into the next country on your itinerary.

Authorization of Temporary Stay in Suriname

If your planned stay period in Suriname exceeds 90 days, you need to apply for an Authorization for Temporary Stay also called MKV, at least 3 months before your entry date in the nation. You cannot apply for an MKV in Suriname, after entering the nation on a tourist or business visa. You can submit an application for an MKV at the Honorary Consul of Suriname in London.

To apply for an MKV, you need

•  A completed form
•  2 recent passport-sized photographs
•  A copy of the biodata and visa pages of the passport
•  A copy of your birth certificate
•  An original certificate of "good conduct"
•  Bank statements proving that you have sufficient means to sustain your stay in Suriname
•  For an internship or voluntary work, a copy of an official letter of the organization/institution in Suriname, describing your purpose of visit and duration of stay
•  For work-related visits, a copy of the labor or employment contract
•  A bank statement which shows that you have transferred an administration fee of 10 euro or receipt stating that the payment has been made in cash
•  A copy of valid health insurance

Once you submit all the documents, you need to wait for 3 months and check if your MKV has been approved. 

If yes, you can apply for a KV or a short-stay visa, to enter Suriname. This visa is valid for 60 days and the documentation requirements are the same as we have outlined above for individual visa types.

Once you receive this visa, you will also get a note from the Consulate specifying that you have to register with the Ministry of Justice and Police in Suriname, within 2 weeks of your arrival in Suriname.

Once you arrive at the Department for Registration of Foreigners in Paramaribo, you will receive the final stamp for an Authorization for Temporary Stay.