Sustainability Fee
Starting July 1st, 2024, Aruba will implement a $20 Sustainability Fee for visitors arriving by air to the island. This fee will support a number of projects aimed at enhancing and improving sustainability efforts on the island.
The following persons are not required to pay this fee: residents, children under 8, repeat visitors who have already paid this fee to visit Aruba within the same calendar year, Aruban students who can prove they are studying at a foreign educational institution, and have been residents within the past 8 years.
The sustainability fee will be charged through the online Embarkation & Disembarkation (ED) Card platform when one is completing the ED card to enter Aruba. The website is https://edcardaruba.aw/.
Stay informed: If you are travelling to Aruba in the (near) future, return to this page before you travel, as we are continuously updating details regarding the sustainability fee as they become available.
The following FAQ has been provided by AWSS
Last updated: Jul 06, 2024
Valid through: Today
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the sustainability fee and what will it be used for?
- The Sustainability Fee will be used to upgrade the existing sewage water treatment plants and infrastructure (SWTP) as well as building a new, larger one to handle future demand.
- How does the sustainability fee differ from the current $3 environmental tax?
- The environmental tax is a government tax for environmental purposes, while the sustainability fee is a specific fee to structurally fund the SWTP and infrastructure.
Who should pay it
- Who is not required to pay this fee?
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* Aruba residents
* Children under 8
* Repeat travelers who have already paid to visit Aruba within the same calendar year
* Aruban students who can prove they are studying at a foreign educational institution and have been residents no longer than eight years before their arrival - If I travel to Aruba more than once a year, will I be charged every time I visit?
- You will only pay once per calendar year using the same passport number. Should your passport be renewed within the calendar year, you must pay again the next time you enter the island.
- If I am a non-resident homeowner, will I have to pay this fee?
- If you own a home in Aruba as a non-resident, you will only pay once per calendar year, given you are using the same passport number. If your passport is renewed within the calendar year, you will have to pay again the next time you enter the island.
- Will I have to pay the $20 sustainability fee as a cruise passenger?
- The sustainability fee applies only to passengers who enter Aruba through the airport.
- Students are said to be exempt. Which students are exempt? How will they be able to show they are exempt?
- Aruban students who can prove they are studying at a foreign educational institution and have been residents no longer than eight years prior to their arrival.
Payment
- How will this sustainability fee be charged?
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The sustainability fee will be charged through the online Embarkation & Disembarkation (ED) Card platform while one is completing the ED card to enter Aruba. The website is https://edcardaruba.aw/.
The user will enter their passport information and be checked for residency status. They will then be provided with a form to fill in their credit card details or any other payment method. Once the payment is approved, the user will proceed with the entry questions and receive their ED Card. - Can I pay cash upon arrival?
- No, the fee will have to be paid before Airline Check-in, in order to get clearance to travel.
- Under which company will the charge on my card appear?
- The bank will use the name of the processing account, which will be AWSS, or it may appear as "Aruba ED Card payment by AWSS".
- If I realise I made an error on my ED card after paying the $20 fee, must I fill out a new ED card? Will there be an option on the ED card to correct the information? How can I avoid paying a second time? What is the refund policy?
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The customer will need to create a new ED Card, as there will be no option to edit the existing one.
AWSS will charge based on a hold-and-release method for the ED Card fee. A hold will be placed on the credit card, and the fee will only be charged when crossing the border. If the border is not crossed, the hold will be released. In the second phase of this project, airlines will automatically be able to check if the person has an ED Card. This will eliminate the risk of people boarding without an ED Card and, consequently, without paying. - Will my card be charged directly after filling in the ED Card?
- AWSS will charge the fee based on a hold-and-release method for the ED Card. A hold will be placed on the credit card, and the fee will only be charged when crossing the border. If the border is not crossed, the hold will be released.
- Are there circumstances under which the $20 fee could be waived or refunded? For instance, what happens in the case of travel cancellation? Will the traveller receive a refund? What happens if the airline cancels a flight?
- AWSS will charge based on a hold-and-release method for the ED Card fee. A hold will be placed on the credit card, and the fee will only be charged when crossing the border. If the border is not crossed, the hold will be released. In the second phase of this project, airlines will automatically be able to check if the person has an ED Card. This will eliminate the risk of people boarding without an ED Card and, consequently, without paying.
- What payment methods will be accepted for processing the $20 charge? Can travellers pay the $20 fee using major credit cards such as MasterCard, VISA, and AMEX. Will payments be accepted via Ideal (Pinpas in NL), PayPal, and Apple Pay to accommodate diverse preferences?
- The available payment options include Visa, Mastercard , Amex, Western Union, iDeal, PayPal, and Apple Pay and Discover.
- How can travellers with issues related to the ED card website, including payment problems, contact AWSS? What are the opening times of this desk?
- AWSS will provide a customer care service that is available 24/7 to address any issues related to the ED card payment. The customer support email and phone number will be added here prior to July 1st.
- Can all participant fees be paid in bulk if I travel as a group?
- Each traveller, whether travelling on their own or as part of a group, will have to fill in their ED card and pay individually.
- Can I request a receipt from AWSS?
- You will receive a receipt for the ED Card payment in your email.
- What can I do if the payment doesn't go through?
- If the ED Card was completed and the payment did not go through (bank security might be too strong), the payment can still be processed through this link: https://collectcheckout.com/r/phmub5od1olsmar61ragvn3jjiezmm
When is payment due
- When will this sustainability fee be in effect?
- This fee will go into effect for all arrivals by air as of July 1st, 2024.
- Will this be a temporary fee?
- This fee will be permanent
- If I arrive in Aruba and have not filled out the ED card, can I still do it at the airport?
- The fee must be paid before airline check-in, in order to get your clearance.
Contact
- Contact information
- Aruba Wastewater Sustainable Solutions (AWSS) can be reached at info@awss.aw