Roadtown, Tortola - With the end of the summer vacation fast approaching, Government is reminding parents whose children benefited from the Summer Visa Programme to contact the Department of Immigration two to three days prior to the departure of their child or children.

Deputy Chief Immigration Officer Mr. Guy Hill said this contact is necessary to inform the department of the child or children’s departure and allow for passports to be returned to parents.
 
 Mr. Hill told the Department of Information and Public Relations that “compliance has been high so far.” However, he acknowledged that “there have been instances of people going directly to the airport without having contacted the Department of Immigration.”

He explained that in these instances, departure had to be delayed because passports were not at the airport.

“To ensure that travel is as hassle-free as possible, it is important that parents visit the department at least two days in advance. We thank those who have complied with these arrangements so far and encourage others to pay close attention to this requirement as they prepare for the departure of their child or children,” Mr. Hill said.

The Department of Immigration is located in the Ashley Ritter Building on the James Walter Francis Drive. The contact number is 486-3701 ext.4700 and 4770. Alternatively the Deputy Chief Immigration Officer can be reached directly at 468-9379.

The Summer Visa Programme will remain in effect until September 15, by which date, it is mandatory that all children who entered the Territory under the programme will have returned to their country of residence.

The temporary easing of the Territory’s visa policy through the Summer Visa Programme was first introduced in 2008. It allowed children from the Dominican Republic, Guyana, Haiti and Jamaica, who are under the age of 18 and enrolled in school and whose parents reside in the Territory to apply for visas through the Office of the Registrar General.