Belonger, residency fees to skyrocket starting October
Immigration fees in the Virgin Islands will see sharp increases from October 1 under a new fee structure announced by the Department of Immigration.
The changes, outlined in the Immigration and Passport (Amendment) Regulations, 2025 — dated June 30 — will apply to all applications received on or after the start of next month.
In a public notice, officials said: “All applications received on or after this date will be subject to the revised fees. These adjustments form part of the department’s ongoing efforts to ensure the sustainability of its operations.”
According to the updated schedule, the cost of a Belonger Status Certificate will jump from $500 to $2,500, while the Residence Status Certificate will rise from $300 to $1,500. New application fees of $250 will now apply for both Belonger and Residence Status — categories that were previously free.
Other new charges include $100 for requests to reside and conditional permits, $50 for duplicate entry permit forms, $100 for a business visitor permit, and $75 for a work permit card. Appeals to the Immigration Appeals Board will now carry an $850 fee.
Clearance services outside regular hours will also become more expensive, with fees varying by the size of the vessel or aircraft. Special and remote clearances have been set as high as $2,000 for groups of up to 10 passengers, with additional per-passenger charges for larger groups.
The hikes form part of a broader overhaul of immigration policy in the Virgin Islands. In recent years, government has introduced legislative changes to pathways for residency and belongership, while discussions have also surfaced around launching a residency-by-investment programme as a potential revenue stream.
The department said the new fees are intended to strengthen operations and improve service delivery.
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Do the fees make a difference? They will take a decade to process the applications anyway! As usual, our government gives us higher prices and lower value so they can enrich themselves.
That will give people time to save for the cause.
These fees only affect the poor island man, who’s paying their taxes in this country.
We shall leave s9on
More and more very high fees. Tourists will stay away.
Why we being fed this?
Where is the real news about what C.O.S-C said on the radio?
This is a perfect way to discourage applicants when they already have it hard…they will think twice about using that money and not sure if it will be approved or if they might just die before it ever comes through!.
As a bvIslander will I have to pay 2500 to get a certifacate to prove my status as my new employer (“master”) needs me to show him my status ? Apperently my born here birth certifate is not enough and I do not have a passport so I too need a status card but how much will it cost me ?
Your belonger card will not come from the immigration department, it will come from the Civil registry!
Those fees are already applied my father paid this in August this year why is that ?
The are already applied, so I don’t know what nonsense they talking, I paid $1550. Last month to, so something is wrong, are we going to get a refund?
In the Governor’s report published in May 2025 he stated that the “Immigration Department has reported that there are no pending belonger or residency applications received prior to 1st June 2022.”
Is this true? Everyone who applied before June 2022 has either got their status or been denied?
Who are you asking? Ask them.
They need to carry it up to 50 thousand dollars.
Too many poor people are given Belongerships, that’s why we are getting from bad to worst……….They are not bringing anything to the table…….They are only here to prog!
Then the compliant going be the ones that could afford the rate you would like it at buying up all the land. The everyday expats aren’t the issue!
Everything runs off the US dollar. There are plenty of poor locals who are unable to attain wealth or help the flow of money within the economy. Maybe just maybe if people stopped giving away there money to people who have no plans of staying on the island the economy could keep some of the money it gets from tourism.
This Article is misleading:
“The changes, outlined in the Immigration and Passport (Amendment) Regulations, 2025 — dated June 30 — will apply to all applications received on or after the start of next month.”
The paragraph states it will apply to applications received on or after OCTOBER 2025, does this apply to NEW APPLICATIONS because a close friend of mine just received his after waiting years from initial application and had to pay the “NEW” Fee.
PLEASE CLARIFY how these robbery fees will apply to applications submitted and pending WITH THE DEPARTMENT prior to October, 2025.
Thank you!
Nothing against raising fees that have been the same for over a decade +.
However; it seems that this VIP government can only raise fees and taxes as their revenue generating income. Seems every department is being used to increase fees/taxes while the cost of living is dramatically increasing.
Seems like more dark days ahead for us under this regime….sigh…
@vgresident What dose Belonger and residency fees Has to do with Tourists?
This is so wrong a this time.
STop misleading the public and pay back those who COLLECTED their belongers prior to the date and had to pay tha price, ayo stay deceiving and misleading ppl
with these price hikes mean more modernization of the system and streamline processes to make things one quicker with better services? lol doubt
Wooohooo!!
Just in time for Christmas too!! Well done bravo brilliant minds at play – sorry I meant work!
Can someone please tell BoZo the Clown to come get these folks!! Rapedo…
Forward ever!
You mean ‘upward ever’.
Premier stop this gouging of expats… please.
Money needed for more traveling. Vip Yuh dead come election day.
SO WE CAN FLEX OFF WD SELF O DEM ISLAND PEOPLE – ONE WAYY NOR YHE OTHER ( AS THE WIGGED ONE FOES SAY IF YO DON’T LIKE IT ” CART YO ASZES BACK HOME ” AND WE GIBE INDEPENDENT SOON , AND WE WILL BE FREE OF OF ALL YOU ISLAND PEOPLE & AND DEM WHITE COLONIALIST SLAVE MASTERS ONCE AND FO-ALL *
when tortola make changes u all complain, when america do the same you all does be quiet and pay up. so hush ayuh behind and pay up if u cant afford dont apply. keep moving
This is wicked and diabolical
This is a deliberate act to stop
People from getting status in the country.
Reduction of the status quo
The population is outnumbered. Sad way to pressure people unmercifully.
This is slaveish mentality and approach
Trump policies are better than yours
If you had the military might this government would have done worst
If we are going to get over run anyway, might as well we get a little money in our pocket while we’re at it. Why get over run for peanuts?
How is the BVI being overrun? lol when you look around all you see is land and locals unable to build on such land. The Island runs off of the US dollar which is needed from outside sources you need. Tourist and you need workers to build here yet people act like they’re being taken over when the reality is the BVI survives off of outside workers and sources such as tourism. If tourism stop the BVI would really suffer.
No man this is wrong. Allowing people in should not be based on their income but knowledge they bring and whether they intend to be a part of the community.
I spend 2 years trying to get my Belongers from the Belongers office only to be told to get it from passport office. I got it the same day thank god for that I feel for anyone that has to deal with the amount of run around I had to do.