WILLEMSTAD – Curaçao's Immigration and Admission Organization (Toelatingsorganisatie) has received official approval to replace paper government records with legally recognized digital documents, allowing the original paper files to be destroyed once the conversion process has been completed in accordance with established requirements.
The development marks an important step toward modernizing government administration. The Immigration and Admission Organization is only the second government institution in Curaçao to receive authorization for this procedure, following the Tax Department in 2022.
The National Archives of Curaçao announced the approval in its October 2026 newsletter.
The procedure, officially known as substitution, involves converting paper archival records into digital reproductions that legally replace the original documents.
Once the conversion has been formally completed and the required safeguards have been satisfied, the original paper documents must be destroyed.
According to the National Archives, the procedure is permitted under Curaçao's Archives Ordinance, but government institutions must comply with strict requirements to guarantee the reliability, completeness, and authenticity of the information being preserved.
Before an institution can replace its paper records, it must prepare a detailed procedural manual explaining how documents will be scanned, verified, processed, and preserved.
The National Archives evaluates this manual against the legal requirements established in the Archives Decree.
In addition, the responsible government minister must issue the necessary authorization.
These safeguards are intended to prevent information from being lost during digitization and to ensure that the authenticity of official documents can still be established after their paper originals have been destroyed.
The National Archives issued a declaration of no objection to the Immigration and Admission Organization earlier this year, clearing the way for the institution to proceed with the authorized process.
The transition is expected to offer several administrative advantages, including faster document processing, easier access to records, and reduced demand for physical storage space.
It also supports Curaçao's broader efforts to develop a more digitally oriented government.
However, replacing paper documents with electronic versions does not eliminate the government's legal responsibilities concerning the management and preservation of public records.
Digital documents remain subject to the Archives Ordinance, meaning government institutions must continue to comply with requirements governing record management, selection, retention, and eventual transfer to the National Archives.
Documents designated for permanent preservation may be transferred electronically to the National Archives through a new digital repository designed to store government records securely over the long term and maintain their accessibility.
The transition is particularly significant for an organization responsible for immigration and admission matters, where official documentation can play an important role in administrative procedures and legal proceedings.
For residents, lawyers, and journalists who depend on access to government records, the destruction of original paper documents places greater importance on the integrity and reliability of digital archives.
Authorities must be able to establish not only the content of a document but also its origin and authenticity.
The National Archives emphasized that the legal framework governing substitution is designed to ensure that digital government records remain trustworthy and verifiable.
Although the Immigration and Admission Organization has now received approval, the newsletter does not specify how many documents will be digitized, when the conversion process will be completed, or which categories of records will be included.
The authorization nevertheless represents another step in Curaçao's transition from traditional paper-based administration toward digital government recordkeeping, with legal safeguards intended to preserve the integrity of official information.