BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – FOLLOWING the position taken by the Canadian Government against nationals of St. Kitts and Nevis and holders of the Federation’s passport, a government-issued release indicated that a thorough report would be made to the nation by the Immigration Minister.
“The Government of Canada has shared with the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis the fact that, effective November 22, 2014, citizens of St. Kitts and Nevis, like the citizens of the vast majority of Caribbean nations and the citizens of some 147 countries, will now travel to Canada on visas issued by the Government of Canada”, the release read.
It stated that the Federation’s nationals in good standing travelling to Canada between now and Monday (Nov. 24) would be granted temporary resident permits upon arrival in the North American country, free of charge.
A release from the Canadian High Commission in Barbados said that due to concerns with the twin-island Federation’s issuance of passports and identity management practices with its Citizenship by Investment Programme, the Canadian Government has implemented the visa requirement on visitors travelling to that country from St. Kitts and Nevis.
The High Commission said that Canada remains committed to facilitating visa processing for legitimate travellers and citizens of the Federation could apply online for a visitor visa to travel to Canada or submit a paper application in person or by mail or courier to any Visa Application Centre (VAC), including the VAC in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
“Processing will be completed within two weeks, and visas of up to 10 years will be issued,” the Federal Government’s release said.
It continued: “A thorough report will be made to the Nation by the Minister of Immigration pertaining our country’s immigration policy in general, and changes that we have made to our St. Kitts and Nevis passports in particular. The key changes regarding the latter, in summary, are as follows:
(i) Effective February, 2014 any name changes made by a St. Kitts and Nevis passport holder has been reflected on the passport’s observation.
(ii) Effective July 2014, all passports issued by the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis have had the place of birth printed in the passport.
(iii) New St. Kitts and Nevis passports are being issued which will replace any passports in existence which may not indicate the place of birth.
The release added that the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis would continue to review the nation’s Immigration policies in the months and years ahead, and would make whatever changes it deems necessary to advance the interests of the nation.
“And the Government will continue to work with the Government of Canada to maintain and strengthen the positive relations which have long characterized relations between that nation and ours,” it concluded.
In 2013, it was reported that an Iranian national named Alizera Moghadam was denied entry into Canada with a St. Kitts-Nevis passport, which he alleged claimed to have paid $1M to acquire same.
It was also reported that he claimed his visit to that country was to meet with the Prime Minister.
In response to questions concerning Moghadam’s possession of the passport, the Federal Government said that in January 2013 he was appointed a special envoy for St. Kitts and Nevis to Turkey and Azerbaijan after acquiring citizenship under the Federation’s Citizenship by Investment Programme.
