Residency with Employment Rights on the Basis of Marriage to a Caymanian

The spouse of a Caymanian does not require (and may not obtain) a work permit to live and work in the Cayman Islands. Instead, they must apply for and obtain a Residency & Employment Rights Certificate.

Process for applying for a Residency & Employment Rights Certificate

There is a two-stage process:

1. a non-Caymanian spouse may apply first to the Chief Immigration Officer for the grant of an interim Residency & Employment Rights Certificate. If approved, the spouse will be entitled to begin working immediately in any occupation of their choice for any employer. The Certificate issued by the Chief Immigration Officer will be valid for six months only and is not renewable.
2. during the currency of the an interim Residency & Employment Rights Certificate issued by the Chief Immigration Officer, or without having obtained an interim Certificate, the non-Caymanian spouse may apply to the Caymanian Status & Permanent Residency Board for the grant of a full Residency & Employment Rights Certificate. If approved, the Certificate issued by the Board will be valid for seven years and is renewable. However, after seven years the non-Caymanian spouse will, if the marriage is subsisting, be eligible to apply for the Right to be Caymanian.

Making an application

Please click here for a checklist of all the information and supporting documentation that must be submitted when applying for a Residency & Employment Rights Certificate as the spouse of a Caymanian.

How an application for a Residency & Employment Rights Certificate will be assessed

The Chief Immigration Officer or the Board are required by law to take into account the following -

1. that the spouse of the applicant is Caymanian;
2. that the marriage is not a marriage of convenience;
3. that the applicant is of good character;
4. that the applicant is in good health as evidenced by a recent medical certificate;
5. that the marriage is stable; and
6. that the applicant and his spouse have sufficient financial means to support himself and his dependants listed on the application as accompanying him.

If the parties are separated at the time of submitting the application, but they are still married, the applicant must provide a detailed explanation of the circumstances.

Dependant children of the holder of a Residency & Employment Rights Certificate

The right of a dependant child to reside in the Islands as a dependant ceases upon completion of their full-time tertiary education or when they reach the age of twenty-four, whichever happens earlier.

Last Updated: 2008-01-07

RERC Section 31

Checklist for Residency And Employment Rights Certificate (RERC) (Full And Temporary Residency) Person Married To Caymanian - Section 31

Renewal Of RERC Section 31

Checklist for Renewal Of Residency And Employment Rights Certificate (Rerc) Persons Married To Caymanians - Section 31

RERC - Holder Who Is Or Was The Spouse Of A Caymanian And Who Is The Parent Of A Caymanian Child

Checklist for Residency And Employment Rights Certificate (Rerc) Holder Who Is Or Was The Spouse Of A Caymanian And Who Is The Parent Of A Caymanian Child - Section 33 (2) Request For Continuation – Section 33 (2)