Nothing wrong with 20-year wait in Immigration policy
There is nothing wrong with the government’s revised policy which recommends a 20-year wait before persons can apply for belongership in the territory.
This is according to Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sustainable Development Joseph Smith-Abbott, who offered clarity on the topic while speaking on the Table Talk show recently.
“The period that the law prescribes in the Immigration and Passport Act is that after the passage of 10 years, you can qualify to apply,” Smith-Abbott stated.
He added: “So it’s not necessarily that… there’s nothing wrong with saying that 20 years would have passed or not. That was not really the issue because Cabinet can decide what period it would want to apply in considering an application, how much time would you have to be ordinarily resident.”
COI Commissioner Sir Gary Hickinbottom previously identified a critical disconnect between the government’s policy and legislation and urged in his report that there was a need to harmonise the two.
Sir Gary’s report spotlighted a longstanding issue where individuals were expected to wait 20 years before applying for belonger status, despite legal provisions allowing for applications after just 10 years of residency.
The government, in its newly approved policy, is addressing discrepancies between immigration law and practice, particularly concerning the requirements for obtaining residency and belonger status.
It is not immediately clear whether the government will move to change the Immigration and Passport Act to reflect its policy change.
Adding further complexity to the immigration process is the criterion of “good character,” a somewhat subjective measure that the BVI government seeks to clarify.
Historically, the Board of Immigration and the Department of Immigration have applied certain criteria during interviews to assess an applicant’s character. However, there has been a call for greater transparency and the publication of these criteria to ensure applicants understand how their eligibility is determined.
Criteria for good character typically include having a clean police record and demonstrating an intention to make the BVI one’s permanent residence. This includes being gainfully employed or having means of support for one’s self and family.
The government’s move towards greater clarity and alignment between law and practice is seen as a step towards more equitable and understandable immigration and belonger status processes.
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It was always 20 years never mind the law stating 10
Even when they had fast track was 20 years
Don’t know why people acting surprised
He got moved sideways after losing $800k on the John Lenon (?) concert, which was supposed to make money for the National Parks Trust.
John Legend
@Lodger it’s John Legend
John Legend.. not John Lennon!!
Thanks all. No memory for pop music!
The major structural problem with this approach is it almost entirely prevents accountability for the elected government.
This is because the electorate is so small it is easily manipulated; and also because the levels of education are so poor for really large segments of the voting population.
This lack of accountability is why we have so little to show for the billions of government revenue paid in since the 1980s and also for the various disasters revealed by the CoI.
The only hope for the BVI is to get the Government running honestly and effectively and that will only happen with accountability to a larger and better educated electorate; that can’t be delivered to order in return for a retaining wall.
Quality of life on these VI has diminshed with the advent of the excessive and obtuse immigration floodgates from the Caribbean chain. A 20 year ban on this migrant population would be warranted.
Financially this group’s presence is costly maintenance on all front..
Gaining Independence for us? How? The cost of policing we could never afford..
But the benefit for BVI economy is welcomed. Why do y’all hate the same people that’s assisting to build your territory? Stop pressing people man…
Ayo lucky, it shoulda been me. After 10years, I applying a suing the government. Straight supreme court we going, play with me.
Really? But you said BVI is no good. Why would ungrateful persons would want status for? Just saying….
Is there anyone from the Virgin Islands with expert knowledge of the Immigration and passport Act Cap.130 in the country? If so why not engage them at some point?
drop in the sale of BVI land to expats then new construction stops and the only people with BVI government jobs or pensions will live here.
Xenophobic paradise!
BVI may get others from another jurisdiction to work! Silly
Words get around silly. Look at the dilemma the Hospital is in now with professional staffing. At the turn of the millennium there was a fairly large influx of young promising medical professional from the Caribbean into our health service, however, they were treated so poorly that a large number never finished their contract and very few renewed their contract. Now a very large percentage of the staffing are Asians and very few from the Caribbean.
In today’s world where the internet makes the world even smaller it makes good sense to treat people fairly wherever they are from. The world is a cycle. Remember all it needs is another strong hurricane to rock us back to our senses and brotherly love.
It is shameful how BVI attitude to foreigners whether you are belonger or not
They are afraid to acknowledge your presence when you meet them at functions
They pretend your skills do not support the growth of the country
They conveniently ignore you when they are with their own
They only know you exist when they need your help
A lot of them are users
If they believe you have a better skill set they try to cut yiu down .
You can marry in, live in for umpteen years you will still be treated like an outsiders
Bitter truth
Its not BVI only..this happens along the diaspora. Persons leave their Country seeking for better opportunity. For eg. In St. Vincent that Country has a nursing school where locals are paid half a salary to go to school. When they finish their nursing 80% travel overseas, leaving behind the hospital, and other nursing facilities almost bear….. until that Country had to hire Cubian doctors.
Most Nurses will always leave their Country for better opportunity.
@smh: so saith the entitled. The BVI has welcomed you and taken you in, now you demonstrating your entitled rights. What ah ting sayeth Ning!
@ Drastic: BVI people, their land and construction industries will be just fine. For, where ever there is green grass the flock will be sure to find it.
We will be just fine.
why not have that same notion when we from the BVI travel to the US territory to give birth? That’s why blacks have a staggering cloud over them, they keep each other down.
So basically 4th generation Belongers doesn’t exist anymore? I wonder how long this will last. Or better how long can a population of 30k and an immigrant workforce of 60% keep people from gaining any status. I’ll bet that the 60% immigrants workforce will increase as people of the island as much as they won’t admit it rely on that workforce. The immigration department already has lines out the building daily. People should hurry and get that census done so people can actually see the numbers on how unrealistic this policy sounds. Good luck BVI.
This is a very irresponsible statement. Why would you state that the voting population is largely “uneducated”. Absolutely false narrative by people who seem to have nothing better to do than to demean the VI and its people. Obviously, like in any country, the voting population would have persons with differing levels of education. However, I can assure you the voting population is probably around 95% or higher literate and would also have a very high level at least secondary education. Perhaps a more nuanced statement could be accurate but a bald assertion that large segments of the VI voting population is uneducated is irresponsible and false.
@irresponsible , he says “large segments” are poorly educated. If that is wrong why are so many skilled jobs done by foreigners? He doesn’t say everyone from BVI is badly educated. That would obviously be crap.
In terms of assessing the general educational level of any population, one could use its investment in education as an index. Here we invested more than $ 1 million using more than 50 contractors to build a wall around one school. We still have schools that were damaged from the hurricanes of almost seven years ago. These kinds of things don’t support the conclusion that education is a priority here.
I laugh sometimes because people believe Belongership in the VI is an entitlement. I will never understand that and can’t imagine myself as VIslander going anywhere else in the world with that feeling of entitlement. Matter of fact I have no reason to leave the VI to live anywhere else in the world. Here is where I was born and it’s here I will be buried.
WE DONT OWE THEM ANYTHING
Question: Why would some people want Status in the BVI whether Residence or Belonger Status when they have committed to other Countries for the same status? How many Countries can you Belong?
One of the questions Immigration should ask during the Interview is: Do you have Belonger or Residence status in any other Country?
Question # 2. Can I go to another Country and give Birth to a Child and my Child gets status for that Country immediately?
Just wondering. No malicious Reasons intended.
Your Question 1 – double it back, please. How many Virgin Islanders have US status? How many Virgin Islanders have left this territory on scholarships and not returned to rebuild (yes we know salaries etc are an issue)?
There is so much to say and so much to fix. Let’s move forward with the policy and adjust it as needed. A policy is not permanent – it has to be monitored and evaluated so that changes can be made. The person who commented about the need for the census is very correct! So if you have been counted, call DPU and get counted. We obviously need the data to assist with these pivotal decisions.
Last time BVI did the Census was in 2010. That is 14 years ago. Are we really trusting this government to get anything done. Most major countries do a census every year without any issue. The lack of data when making major life changing decisions like this baffles me. Yes the country has a 60% immigrant workforce but that only counting the ones with work permits. This country loves to count possible profit but tend to not count cost. This policy will surely increase the lines at the immigration offices making their jobs harder as less people are qualified for Belongers and won’t be removed from those lines that keep growing. On the surface this policy sounds good as it makes it harder for non locals to gain status, but without actual data you will never be able to tell the results of this policy. My end point is are we really trusting a government that can’t do anything that actually helps locals in their daily lives like fixing the roads so your cars don’t break down. Or improving education so your kids don’t have to go off island to get a better education. It feels as though government is strictly worried bout profit or big investors but fails to acknowledge small investors that contribute to the economy daily. This is why they want make a WE ferry with no idea of it’s cost or legalize weed cause they see the profit behind them. Not saying those things are bad just surprising. In due time we will see I just don’t believe any census will get done as it’s been 14 years since they’ve done the last one.
Most countries do a census every ten years. Annually would be too expensive. But agree 14 years is too long, and by the looks of it this one wont be any better. And thats mainly down to the poor organisation, but also the intransigence in the population refusing to take part. What are they hiding or afraid of? And yes, we are still waiting to be contacted in our tight, easily accessible community.
Yeah I was wrong it is every 10 years. So that makes the BVI Census 4 years late. I just have one question for the average local. In the last 2 years what policy or change has benefited people of the islands positively? If you can’t think of one positive change then that should be telling of your government and how much they actually care about the people. The lack of math being used to make decisions is very troubling and lack of positive change also.
Soooooo How many BVI Belongers have US passports due to being born in st Thomas
It’s no different
You can be born another place and then choose to live in a different country, what is wrong with that if you are a law abiding citizen
And, of those numerous Belongers born in US Territory, how many of them are filing annual 1040 tax returns to the US Inland Revenue Service, as required by law of all adult US citizens, no matter where they live, or where they earn income. Taxes generally nott due unless you exceed $ 90k per year. Worth noting that failure to file returns is what got Al Capone in the slammer…
Yes, you can get USA citizenship by being born in US soil automatically. Many non US people do this from many places, including BVI islanders. What many ignore is that with the USA citizenship comes a tax responsibility no matter where you live and work. Trump is against birth right citizenship and birth tourism. If he wins election it will probably be scratched. MAGA
Go to Amerika, Canada, Hong Kong to get your children and obtain status from those countries immediately
What the constitution says on this subject…People have their beliefs what they would like. What they want to happen…What the constitution says is what is key.
i know people with more than tweny and still dont have residence or belonnnnnnnnnnnnger
It’s not and should never be automatic
My daughter is here 23 years now and have not even gotten an acknowledgement of her application submitted 3 years ago for residency.
So let’s make it 20 years before you can apply of a UK passport. I think that’s fair especially as you don’t contribute to the UK tax and social system.
Clear off- V Islanders have even more rights than most UK citizens these days and are clearly better off – reverse racism LOL
Them island need to go back home when them get old we don’t have graveyard for them they think them run thing here
Island people I hope you all see you all are viewed!!!!!!!!!smh
They al view themselves the same way hencecthe condition of their home countries and globally they are proven life spoilersA BVIskander us viewed in a whole different light of positivity and well deserved
This is about to change because these VI is now a septic receptacle identifiable by the ovewhelming dregs ofthe upper Caribbean.
Hmmm this place is a mess
Well Ah..after 20 year of filling out forms in triplicate and listing to all the teeth sucking, I think these NEW citizens them going to make a few changes.
And they going to be old and out of the work force and have plenty of time to talk politics
The British should immediately stop the ability of BVIslanders to get British passports, and stop their ability to get any benefits from the British tax-payer if the BVI refuses to accept reciprocity.
Better still, the British should just let the BVI go and be done with the unnecessary headaches of a troublesome unimportant minnow. Let the (B)VI see how they can fully manage their own affairs without external support. Recent history suggests that the BVI cannot. The international financial services sector, that pumps in 60+% of the BVI Government’s money, already has plans to vacate the territory. Government, in contrast, has no plans for how to survive if their main income-generator disappears.
Many of the comments above display a xenophobia that would be illegal in many countries. It’s time to have the chickens come home to roost and have the BVI clean up their own mess.
Leave the BVI alone!!
The BVI is one of the main BREAD BASKET for the Caribbean as small as it is. God Bless the BVI.
The BVI grows virtually none of the food it eats, so to call it a bread-basket is ridiculous.
The BVI is a wealthy country, but that wealth has largely been generated by outsiders, fostering the financial services and tourist industries. And the distribution of that wealth amongst Belongers is not optimal at all.
The BVI should be left on its own by the British. Make the country independent and walk away, with a huge SMH.
Thank you abbot!
Yes it is the bread basket. It takes money to buy land,house,car,fund education , Investments etc.
I could tel yah!!!!!
Why?
Is it because you don’t want your home?
.,, .. no one else wants it
, ,,,,,,you and other with like character and characteristics made it an earthly purgatory
You will do the same elsewhere c…you are who you are and you cannot runaway from you but others can have you ru n away from their good home which they capably made…
Soooo begone or be still. Drool if you must drool with envy but be gone or be still.A loathsome set of destruction of life of country of self. I can’t imagine a gjbe ever wanting to forcibly reside in your home country when n it’s not the kast place on Earth.
Mr. Smith and Ms. Webster represented themselves well during the COI. They should both be consulted more on serious matters concerning the Virgin Islands. Belongership is a a privilege, not a right and folks need to remember that.
We should do what is best for the country. We should not allow individuals into this country if they cannot or are unwilling to make a positive contribution.
Both Mr. Smith and Ms. Webster are excellent people with integrity and good work ethics. It’s a shame that many of their work colleagues don’t follow their principles.
National Parks is a disaster under decades of JSA stewardship
I find the current immigration arrangements unnecessary. The key issue lies in retroactive immigration laws. New laws should apply to those entering the territory, with residency durations aligning with the law at their time of entry. The BVI holds the power to enact laws in its interest and must anticipate the consequences. Other Caribbean nations, like St. Kitts and Guyana, are advancing rapidly, while even Filipino migrants may return home due to their growing economy. I fear that in 10 years, we may relax regulations to attract expats, risking a backlash. Let’s avoid creating unnecessary concerns that could deter potential residents from the BVI.
None of those nationals going back to their country oh plz
They multiplying daily like ants
THEY AINT BELONG TO SOME PLACE ALREADY?
THINGS USED TO BE IRIE BEFORE THE OUTSIDERS CAME
These is the most racist set a black people i ha e ever known. I hope the UK take over this country. The people a so much in violation of the constitution England needs to bring them in line fast. I hope the governor watching. Uk doesn’t take tha lo g to give residency or status ship so why should you set a racist against your own black people.
Nativism is a well known practice in the BVI to safe guard the local population from being out numbered by the immigrants population.
Whereas, this is an good measure to curb the population imbalance , locals have to take stock on their own agenda for having their children born in St. Thomas , Puerto Rico or Mainland US.
The world today is not the same and everyone should be treated the same .
The Acting Permanent Secretary understands well from an immigrant point of view to live in the BVI and wait for 20 years before you can only apply for ‘Belonger status’ .
This should have been a five years period ,consistent to good character , your job cannot be done by locals and your earnings can sustain your livelihood .
I believe locals needs to be given priority to any jobs that are consistent with their qualifications and experiences.
How would you implement local favoritism with jobs?
Lamentably, there is a prevailing attitude here that if you’re local you’re entitled to the job regardless of experience and qualifications, and the Labor Department pushes this.
I have no regrets the time I made decision to leave from among you evil set of people!
I got a green card then citizenship ,while others still there suffering for 20years to get Belonger . Like pharaoh holding people hostage!
They sitting waiting on status and it have no used to them ,other than not using a permit!
It makes no difference 10 years resident 20 years belonger
Up to this date there’s no explanation the difference.
True, and we all know that any status granted can just as easily be taken away.
COI Commissioner Sir Gary Hickinbottom previously identified a critical disconnect between the government’s policy and legislation and urged in his report that there was a need to harmonise the two.
Sir Gary’s report spotlighted a longstanding issue where individuals were expected to wait 20 years before applying for belonger status, despite legal provisions allowing for applications after just 10 years of residency.
This disconnect was identified more than 20 plus years ago and brought to the attention of former Ministers by myself, Jennings, and Walters. But like usual it fell on deaf ears. What’s new. A white man had to say it?
The current situation is that native BVIslanders are outnumbered and that the majority of residents have no vote and no voice and live in a state of indentured slavery. Keeping the current scenario will not reduce the numbers of foreigners here which is ultimately what many of the loud voices in the media would like to see (or at least say they would like to see).
We have government after government which is failing these islands: these politicians are easily corrupted because they do not have to face the will of the people here.
If people have been resident 7 or 8 years then they ought to have a vote here. If this does not happen then the same corruption will continue and this place will end up more like Haiti than Monaco.
is saying )> you all island people should consider yourselves luck and if ah -yo bark too hard I will carry it up to 50 , so get ready to lick our arzes some more and maybe I might be more lenient
@Jane…expat children born here are Bvislanders also regardless of how you feel. Check the law.
We all have friends who have lived here for 10 years plus. They pay into our system, contribute greatly to our economy, yet still get treated as third class people.
They have made our islands their home, let’s make them welcome. They are not bad people! They work hard!!
“They are not bad people”
Defintion of “bad people” by you has a lot to be desired.
Their countries from which they originate has the World’s most muurders.
Their countries are fertile,gold,oil and other natural wealth.
Rivers streams and the most of beautiful beaches.
Acreage of their lands are thousands more than the two digit dry weather dust ofthese VI with its temperamental water supply water.
But thesefolks see fit c to crowd our shores and giving or bringing nothing in return..all is to maintain”home abroad”home here. Social assist cannot keep up with their wants. needs and shameless demands which includes non payment of rent. We on not too long ago with customary empty prison are now in need of a third. Quality of education is
Immigrants are a blessing for all of if they are of a fit that fills the gap which was the case prior to the updeislun sunami..swallowing and destroying basic quality of the character and dignity of these VI. They met the contributions of previous immigrants which are Hotels,restaurants,.supermarkets etc cohesive population and quality education.
The crop of these now drowning the sweetness of our islands is a crop of bad people incapable of living in a paradise humanely which was their homeland they destroy because..they are bad real bad and cursed.
at its lowest. They utilize more than a n
what the mandatory taxes taken.
Even the green card is often taken away!
My position is, do NOT fight a man in his own country for things that you think you should have. If someone does not like that country’s policies, leave. Otherwise, respect the policies and laws of the land.