Royalties for Everyone (RVI)
Royalties for Everyone (Dutch: 'Royalty voor Iedereen', RVI) is a Surinamese government program giving every citizen a personal savings certificate funded by future oil royalties from the offshore Block 58 project. Citizens born before January 1, 2025 could register online for a US$750 certificate that grows at 7% annual interest, with elderly (80+) and disabled citizens given early access to funds via a special payment card ahead of expected oil production in 2028. It is funded entirely by the Government of Suriname from anticipated Block 58 royalty income, with technical assistance from advisors including the investment bank Lazard. Launched by President Chan Santokhi in May 2025 just before that month's elections, the program was frozen for legal and financial review under the incoming government of President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons and remained suspended as of early 2026.
Oil royalties, Sovereign wealth distribution, Universal citizen dividend, Block 58, Suriname, Debit card disbursement, Growth certificate
Headquarters
- Organization Name
- Government of Suriname – Ministry of Finance and Planning
- City
- Paramaribo
- State / Province
- Paramaribo
- Country
- Suriname
Contact
- Website
- https://rvi.gov.sr/
- Phone
- +597 430759
Status & Funding
- Organization status
- Active
- Program status
- Inactive
- Application status
- Timed
- Number of recipients
- 572,186
- Funding type
- Government
Benefits
- Currency Type
- Fiat
- Currency
- USD
- Total Amount
- 1,275 USD
- Avg. Per Month
- 10.63 USD
- Payment frequency
- Lump Sum
- How long the program lasts
- 120 months
- Distribution Type
- Special RVI payment/debit card, direct deposit / bank account, cash (SRD) for early-access elderly and disabled recipients
- Benefit details
Each eligible citizen receives a US$750 growth certificate invested and accruing 7% annual interest, funded from future Block 58 oil royalties (production expected to begin 2028); interest or the full amount can be withdrawn. Total benefit is capped at US$1,275, including a US$150 bonus for citizens who defer withdrawal until the full amount accrues. Registrants receive a special RVI payment card enabling online purchases, foreign payments, and international money transfers. Elderly citizens (80+) and people with disabilities (Group A) could access early payouts in SRD ahead of 2028, with disbursement starting May 2025. As of July 2025, roughly 62,000 of the ~572,186 eligible citizens had registered before the program was suspended pending legal/financial review by the incoming government.
Eligibility
Overview
- Eligibility details
Open to all people holding Surinamese nationality who were born before January 1, 2025 and are registered with the Central Bureau of Civil Affairs (Centraal Bureau voor Burgerzaken, CBB). Registrants were divided into three groups: Group A (age 60+ and people with disabilities, prioritized for early payout starting with those 80 and older), Group B (ages 18–59), and Group C (minors under 18, via guardians). Only Surinamese citizens qualify — people of Surinamese descent holding only Dutch nationality were excluded, which drew public criticism.
Demographics
- Language
- Dutch
Health
- Disability status
- Yes
Citizenship
- Citizenship / immigration status
- Citizen
Geography
- Countries covered
- Suriname
- Residency of Target Geography
- Yes
Application Process
- How to apply
Eligible citizens registered voluntarily online at rvi.gov.sr using their national identification / CBB civil registry records. Registration opened officially on May 2, 2025 (site launch), following the program's public launch by President Santokhi on May 14, 2025. Upon successful registration, citizens were issued a certificate and, in phases, a special RVI payment card.
- Selection process
No competitive selection — all citizens born before January 1, 2025 with confirmed Surinamese nationality per the CBB civil registry qualify automatically upon registration. Recipients were grouped by age/disability status (Groups A, B, C) to determine payout timing, with elderly (80+) and disabled citizens in Group A prioritized for early disbursement between 2025 and 2028.
