Multi-Agency Delegation Visits Dominican Republic

Members of a BVI delegation are photographed with UK consular assistants in front of a mural at the British Embassy in Santo Domingo during a recent visit to that city. From left, are Mrs. Gipsy Chichester, Registrar-General Mrs. Stephanie Benn, Visa Officer Mrs. Sandra Herbert, Ms. Laurdes Martinez, Assistant Secretary Mrs. Carolyn Stoutt Igwe, Ms. Viannela Severino and Ms. Alexia Valerio

Registrar-General Mrs. Stephanie Benn led the four-member delegation to Santo Dominigo, which also included Assistant Secretary in the Premier’s Office Mrs. Carolyn Stoutt Igwe.

The delegation met with officials at the British, United States, and Dutch Embassies and the Honorary Consulate of the Bahamas. They also met with the Investigation Department of the Dominican Republic National Police and with officials from the country’s Central Registry Office and Migration Department.

“The discussions were enlightening, interactive, rewarding and indeed a tremendous learning experience for members of the group,” Mrs. Benn said, noting that the delegation learned about techniques used to produce fraudulent documents and methods that are used to detect those documents.

Mrs. Benn said that the group also learned about security measures employed by the various embassies, and the challenges faced by the British Embassy in the Dominican Republic, which processes visa applications on behalf of the Virgin Islands. “Several new overseas working relationships were established during the fact-finding mission,” she said.

Accompanying Mrs. Benn and Mrs. Igwe on the mission were two staff members from the Civil Registry and Passport Office: Visa Officer Mrs. Sandra Herbert and Clerical Officer Mrs. Gipsy Chichester, who is bilingual.  ~~Adz:Right~~

The visit took place from August 17-21. Citizens of the Dominican Republic are among those foreign nationals who are required to obtain a visa prior to visiting the Virgin Islands. 

Since January this year, 906 visas were issued for citizens of the Dominican Republic to enter or remain in the Virgin Islands.

The Civil Registry & Passport Office is the department responsible for issuing visas and passports and processing applications for naturalisation, among other things.