The health certificate (green card): what food and beverage workers and employers should know

Anyone who handles food or beverages for work in Aruba needs a valid health certificate from the Department of Public Health (DVG). Many people still call it the green card (carchi berde), and DVG notes it was formerly known by that name.¹ DVG is the authority on how to get one. This article is the short version for jobseekers and employers; the step-by-step process, the tests and the costs are in our guide, Health certificate for food and beverage work in Aruba.

What DVG says today

• A first application or a renewal begins in person at DVG’s Food and Hygiene Inspection Section, with valid identification.¹
• DVG’s process fee is currently Afl. 30.¹
• Two tests are required: a stool test and a chest X-ray. DVG says the X-ray costs Afl. 75 and is valid for 5 years.¹
• After the stool test, the certificate appears in the Aruba Health App in about two weeks, or ten working days. A printed copy can be collected in person at DVG.¹

If you are looking for work

• Check the requirement first. Aruba Jobs listings have a Health certificate field that says whether it is required, so look for it before you apply.
• Ask who pays. DVG’s page does not say. An older Government of Aruba page, published in 2023, says the employer has to pay, so ask before you pay yourself.⁴
• Know your expiry date. An older government notice says the certificate is valid for one year, with the date on the certificate.³ DVG’s current page does not restate the validity, so check the date in your app.
• Renew early. Our suggestion, not a DVG rule: start about three weeks before the expiry date, because the certificate takes ten working days and DVG takes applications Monday to Thursday.¹

If you are hiring

The certificate must be valid and visible to DVG’s inspectors.³ Keep a record of each food handler’s expiry date, and say in the listing whether candidates need the certificate before they start or whether you will arrange it. How to write a job listing that works in Aruba covers the listing field, and the employer compliance checklist puts the certificate next to the other employer checks.

Where sources disagree

CarchiBerde.com, a commercial laboratory service, says the X-ray is repeated every three years. DVG says it is valid for 5 years, and DVG is the authority.¹ The 2023 government page also lists an X-ray cost of Afl. 53, which differs from DVG’s Afl. 75.⁴ We follow DVG.

Quick answers

Do I need a health certificate to work in a restaurant in Aruba?

Yes, if you handle food or beverages for work. The rule is in the Personnel Decree Food Regulations (AB 1995 no. GT 2), cited in a 2024 government notice.³

How much does it cost?

DVG’s fee is Afl. 30 and the chest X-ray is Afl. 75, plus the laboratory fee for the stool test, which DVG’s page does not state.¹

How long does it take?

About two weeks, or ten working days, after the stool test is submitted.¹

Is the certificate digital?

Yes. It appears in the Aruba Health App, and since 15 September 2025 hospitality workers can access it there. A paper copy stays available.¹²

Updated 23 October 2026. This article is rebuilt around DVG’s current Health Certificate page. Earlier versions gave the stool test as Afl. 40 and said the employer pays, both taken from older government pages, and stated one year of validity as a fact. We now attribute those to the older sources and send the full process to the guide.