BVI News

Expat newborn fee ‘reviewed’, gov’t to give report in 2 weeks

Changes to the policy that requires expatriate parents to pay a fee so their BVI-born infants can remain in the territory will be announced this month.

“I have in fact reviewed that [policy],” Premier Dr D Orlando Smith said during a press briefing on Monday.

“My Chief Immigration Officer and others have been looking into the matter and I’ll be prepared to make a statement on that very soon – certainly within the next two weeks.”

Premier Smith had promised to look into the policy back in August after government legislator Alvera Maduro Caines stood in the House of Assembly and described it as unjust.

In breaking down the policy to BVI News, Chief Immigration Officer Ian Penn explained that an infant of parents with no prerogative/right to the territory is still subject to Immigration control even if that infant was born here.

“Yes, persons may think that where you’re born is where you’re from in terms of status. But that’s not entirely the case here because of the British Nationality Act of which we are guided by in terms of status, nationality, citizenship,” he explained.

A child born in the BVI of expat parents is subject to pay a fee of $25 to remain, Penn said.

According to the aforementioned British law, parents who do not pay this fee would have caused their children to ‘overstay’.

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32 Comments

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  1. East End says:

    What will America say when they see this law! sound bad.

    Like 9
    Dislike 6
    • Myo says:

      … Charging for children born to expat to stay here is not a law or does it have anything to do with the British nationally act. It can be revoked or removed and he as chief have that right as well as the Premier. I don’t know why the government don’t put back Hill in that department as chief. Like they ain’t tired been embarrassed by that department

      Like 6
      Dislike 1
  2. Lol says:

    What a great idea… let’s deport babies now, lol

    Like 5
    Dislike 12
  3. Sam the man says:

    A ridiculous levy that needs to be cancelled talk about making expat kids feel like ones or non belongers as the airport stated for many years on entry – pay to be here or leave! Well many have left and are still leaving and won’t be back! So brilliant own goal…

    Like 17
    Dislike 3
    • Many says:

      “have left and are still leaving and won’t be back.”

      Goodbye, good riddance. None will be missed.

      There are still a few parasites left. How their departure comes soon also.

      Like 7
      Dislike 31
    • Really? says:

      You sure many have left?
      Have you been by the supermarket in Road Town lately? From sunup to sun down they congregate eat behave lawless and embarass this country all day every day. Every where I go every where they are there. More of them in this place than sandfly and mosquito.p and at the airport its as if Liat picking up and dumping by tge pkainload,
      .
      .

      Like 6
      Dislike 10
      • @ Reality says:

        Just as many nations with known economic success across the globe accept the reality that there will be economic migrants entering and seeking opportunity. That is human and life reality.

        It thought that what many locals find distasteful are the types of minds and metalities that seem to appear upon our shores.

        For example, one speak of the so calledmany that are leaving, as though their departure will be a punishment for us.

        Indeed, the BVI is currently ahuge large t*t of at leats thirty five thousand suckers, and many more are attaching theselves to one every day.

        See, it is the ingratitude, envy, jealousy vile mentality by some that bothers many.

        Like 1
        Dislike 3
    • two cents says:

      @Sam the Man, The only thing I see leaving is all the money they make in the BVI

      Like 4
      Dislike 3
  4. son of the soil says:

    When an outsider becomes pregnant they need to go back home to birth their child

    Like 13
    Dislike 33
    • Ok says:

      BVIslanders should do the same instead of going to the US!

      Like 42
      Dislike 5
      • Why says:

        Are we a burden on the US
        ,their schools, their medical facilities,their housing,their courts and their prisons, Are we being deported from the US daily like debris?
        Are we luabilities in the US. If notm then we are assets and not a detriment to their growth,

        Like 6
        Dislike 19
        • actually says:

          do some research and find out how many BVIslanders have indeed been locked up or are locked up in the states. There are good and bad in every nationality, BVI is not immune from this

          Like 16
    • hmmm says:

      bvislanders need to stop go to st Thomas and Puerto rico to get there baby’s also

      Like 8
      Dislike 2
  5. Orlando says:

    Orlando, I pleading with you to stop while you are ahead… because if so be the case its time to depart all “i from here” people to the place they really born. But I must commend yall for coming up with ingenious ideas to rob people.

    This entire government need to be sent to jail. I am still MAD about BVI airwards and all the millions that they gave away to frauds.

    Orlando your last days in office should be to recover the place and get us back out money. OUT OF PLACE!

    Like 8
    Dislike 6
  6. Rubber Duck says:

    An unjust law that penalizes non belongers? There’s a surprise. All the laws of the BVI relating to non belongers are unjust and unfair. And it is not the British who write them.

    Like 17
    Dislike 2
  7. Reason says:

    Unfortunately, unless the BVI goes independant. This is what you will have to adhere once you are born to parents that are not BVIslanders. Hon. Caines can say all she wants. But the law exist.

    Like 3
    Dislike 3
    • @reason says:

      There is NO law to this charging of fees. You need to research it for I did when Caines brought it up a few years ago. It can be stopped if they wish to stop it.

      Like 5
      Dislike 1
  8. Hodgie says:

    Believe it or not. The licks that we got from hurricane Irma. Is retroactive payments for the nastiness we have done to the outsiders. Both mentally and physically. Are we going to change our dirty ways? Even the way we think? We never learn. Bigger licks to come. And the few good will have to suffer for the bad.

    Like 7
    Dislike 3
    • @Hodgie says:

      So you and Hurricane Irma had a chat. Self righteousness is hogwash when reality speaks.
      Outsiders in this situation need to look in the mirror and ask why they are not welcome. Are they assets or have they been proven to be liabilities. Reality is that the quality of life in the BVI has deteriorated with the influx of immigrants from specific regions. Truth is truth. The law enforcement alone has double quadrupled. The unstoppable cost is staggeringly beyond pierpark school wall or airline or anything and that cost will continue to rise.

      Like 5
      Dislike 3
    • next time says:

      earthquake will be next not Irma.

      Like 1
      Dislike 2
  9. @Hodgie says:

    So you and Hurricane Irma had a chat. Self righteousness is hogwash when reality speaks.
    Outsiders in this situation need to look in the mirror and ask why they are not welcome. Are they assets or have they been proven to be liabilities. Reality is that the quality of life in the BVI has deteriorated with the influx of immigrants from specific regions. Truth is truth. The law enforcement alone has double quadrupled. The unstoppable cost is staggeringly beyond pierpark school wall or airline or anything and that cost will continue to rise.

    Like 1
    Dislike 3
  10. Hmm says:

    So the airline is going to take you when you are just about to enter labour… oh wait, no! your employer is going to give you time off when you hit your 7th month so you can travel as stipulated by travel guidelines. What about all the monies that was paid to the doctor, the monies for the test and the ultra sound. How long before NHI reimburse me because the birth country is not on the approved list for doctors within the network. But wait when that child grows up and excel all of a sudden he or she is a BVIslander.. smh…

    Like 12
    • PROBLEMS says:

      What the B.V.I. needs to do is crack down on its borders and make sure those coming into its territory are coming in legally and are totally vetted and are not brining in any drugs and upon leaving are thoroughly searched to make sure they are not taking out ill gotyen gains.

      Anyone and I do mean anyone illegally in the country need to be deported.

      And non of this is meant to be mean but all countries should control their borders and accept no illegal entries.

      And to those who are upset about different lines for belongers and foreigners every country you go to have differences for their citizens entering versus foreigners.

  11. two cents says:

    How come no one is talking about how bad the Dominican Republic treats the Haitians.

    • PROBLEMS says:

      That’s a very good point. I personally believe that there too many Dominicans in the V.I period both U.S. and B.V.I. considering how they treat the Haitians and also Dominicans see to think that they are white and therefore better even the brown skinned ones.

      In the Dominican Republic it was may still be illegal to say you were black the mentality is that they were European. And there policy towards Haiti is totally based on race.

  12. BVI ISLANDER says:

    I am a BVI Islander by birth to non-national parents who have been born bred and raised in this country that I have served proudly for decades. However, it is heartbreaking to read these posts and see how divided we are as a nation and how far we have fallen. United we stand – divided we fall. What lesson are we teaching our children and future generations when we are consumed by such prejudice and hatred of our very own, when we ourselves as a nation have used migration to the US and other countries to advance our future and the future of our children. How would you feel if US nationals (who believe that they are of pure descent) decide to push for the deportation of our BVI children of US birth just because they are our children. My people please remember the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have done unto you. Remember the risk of our US strongholds being destroyed is a greater reality than ever before under the Trump administration. So let us not walk in the same line as racists elsewhere: we are bigger and better than this BVI. Our hatred is very disturbing to not just expacts but it disheartens our very own BVI nationals. Stop the self-destruction!! Clean up our streets, deal with the criminals expacts and locals alike…call spade a spade…Respect people for their individual character not based on their surnames or parentage. Strengthen our nation rather than destroying ourselves with hate.

  13. Just concern says:

    May god have mercy up on us all

  14. Friend of Mr Penn says:

    I don’t understand y he come up with that stupid idea,please find another way to make money for the Island,Ian you know better than than.

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