Cabinet Eases Visa Policy for Summertime Visits by Children

~~Adz:Left~~TORTOLA, B.V.I– Cabinet has approved a temporary easing of the Territory’s visa policy to accommodate summertime visits by dependent children of BVI residents.

Cabinet Secretary Mr. Otto O’Neal said it has been decided that the office of the Registrar-General in the BVI should issue visas to dependent children of nationals of Guyana, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti to facilitate those children spending summer vacation with their parents in the Territory. Dependent children are those who are 18 years of age or younger and enrolled in school.

The decision means that nationals of the countries named above, who are already resident in the BVI, will be able to make a visa application on behalf of their child in the Virgin Islands, rather than at the British High Commission in their child’s country of residence.

Mr. O’Neal said the policy applies to the period July 1 through September 15, 2008. He noted that visa applications are to be presented and processed in the normal way, and that the qualifying criteria remain the same. The policy applies to visitor visas only.

For details on visa application requirements, please read the documents Virgin Islands Visas: Frequently Asked Questions and Virgin Islands Visas: General Information, which are available at the Civil Registry in the Burhym Building on Wickham’s Cay I and the Passport Office at the Central Administration Complex. The guides are also available online at www.dgo.gov.vg.

You may also contact the Civil Registry and Passport Office at 494-3701 ext. 3035-6 or ext. 3442-3449.