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Belongers attempt to boycott VI's passport procedure - Report

Belongers try to reject traditional passport procedure and try to renew their passports, according to the 2011 Annual Report of the Civil Registry and Passport Office. Photo: Wikipedia.com
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- Among the many challenges faced by the Passport Office in the Virgin Islands, one significant challenge that was reported was the issue of Belongers boycotting the traditional system and trying to renew their passports.


According to the 2011 Annual Report submitted by the Civil Registry and Passport Office, it stated that residents, who were awarded Belonger Status and passports, leave the country for a number of years and upon returning they try to renew their passports.

The report clarified that the renewal of a Belonger Status passport in this situation is prohibited, because the individual (Belonger) did not stay in the country long enough to be viewed as a Belonger or a citizen.

“Residents who were given Belonger Status, (original black passports), who went abroad and came back until now who are trying to renew those passports, it is not possible because they were not deemed to belong nor did they become citizens.”

The report added that those individuals are required to go through the normal naturalization process.

The Passport Office in the Virgin Islands, Tortola is responsible for the issuance of passports (BOTC only), Nationality, Registration, Belonger status and Visas.

22 Responses to “Belongers attempt to boycott VI's passport procedure - Report”

  • john public (08/07/2012, 09:17) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    some of these expats who were given status are very ungrateful..especially those from down island
    • BLACK Man Says (08/07/2012, 09:44) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      @John public Shut up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!you should be greatful that you were born in a country that just happy to be lucky enough to be a little better of than others, but that can change at any time and you might find yourself wishing for the same benefits.
      • Huh! (08/07/2012, 16:59) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        BLACK Man quote: "you should be greatful that you were born in a country that just happy to be lucky enough to be a little better of than others, but that can change at any time and you might find yourself wishing for the same benefits". Sorry but you are contradicting yourself! Someone being born wherever get the benefits of the place of their birth....USUALLY! The part of "wishing for the same benefits" says alot of the attitude of SOME expats that come to our shores and wanting the same benefits. Very telling indeed. Hope Vislanders wake up and realize what's going on here!!! Continual abuse of the system and its loop holes without enforcement of the laws will bring this little Territory to its knees.
  • hmmm (08/07/2012, 09:35) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    I bet you its the Jamaicans doing this!
  • billyb (08/07/2012, 09:59) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    i totally agree.. the mere fact that they are leaving the country for extended period of time (5-10) years, says that they have no interest in the VI. Let them stay out. KUDOS. Give someone else who appreciates the benefit of having a belonger card a chance.
    • weed (08/07/2012, 23:53) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      so many folks are dying to get into the BVI- they're also dying to get a BVI passport...
  • confisious (08/07/2012, 10:16) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    I was amaze to see so much down islands people voting last year and with bvi passport…one lady was only in the bvi for one year. This passport thing is the biggest fraud around.
  • henry (08/07/2012, 16:16) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Whats the difference from bvislanders obtaining green cards and not living in the states. Same thing, just the other way around - but then i guess thats ok
  • island girl (08/07/2012, 17:57) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Wow, talk about being unfair How can you only live here for a year and get a BVI passport and there are people who lived here for 20, 25 ,30 35 yrs . and still on work permit and getting time. this is really not good at all.
  • Disinterested (08/07/2012, 18:41) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Whst? I'm granted Belonger status but I cannot go and come as please? It seems that iimf I'm granted citizenship I should be able to go to Timbuctu and stay foreever and still retain Belonger status. Thus I should be allowed to my passport when requested. By the way, is. Belonger and Citizen synonymous? Does a person with Belonger status entitled to the same rights and privileges as a natural born citizen? If no then citizenship has different levels. Does a Belonger have to reside consistently for so many years after attaining the. status to retain it? If so how long? Is this problem akin to Virgin Islanders having a green card but lives in the territory and is not seen as a problem? Well, I think the US is cracking down on this practice with its step up asset reporting requirements? This law needs reviewing..
    • Nonsense (09/07/2012, 10:38) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      You can't read? You will continue to have belonger status and the advantages of it, but not the passport if you left for a long time. Belongership doesn't entitle you automatically to a passport, it entitles you to a Belonger Card, land ownership, employment and voting. Nobody is taking your rights, but the actual issuance of a passport requires Naturalisation, that's nothing new.
      • Disinterested (09/07/2012, 18:23) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        I only went to Manda School and clearly I'm not brightest star in the constellation nor the sharpest knife box. But I find it very interesting that one can hold a belonger card, own land, no work permit and vote yet one cannot renew one's passport if you leave the territory for a while. You can vote but has difficulty renewing your passport. Nonsense.
  • pope (08/07/2012, 23:18) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    All I can say is WOOW!!!!! deeds dam island people strupppps
    • Discrete (09/07/2012, 09:31) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      The same damn Island people paying your taxes contributing to the infrastructure of the BVI, and also paying your bills. You dumb A#s.
      • Hyacinth Bob (09/07/2012, 10:03) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        These island people like to throw in the Belonger's face about them building our country and helping the infrastructure, when they well know, that all the money they make, goes to their bank accounts in their country, especially to build those two and three houses. (Check money gram every Friday and Monday.) Our country was existing before you all arrived, and most of you are so dishonest that you will thief a man eye out of his head. Stop trying to talk ****. We the belongers know better and it makes you all look stupid. If we go to your country, we will not be able to look for work, or stay more than the time given by the imigration on our initial visit. "When yo sorry for meagre dog, he will turn around and bite yo!"
        • WOW (09/07/2012, 17:52) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
          BOB you sound like a foolish person. I wish for just one day these so called Down Island people would go on strike and I would love to see how you up islanders deal with it. I someone wants to send money for a relative how is that a problem? I am sure that there are some up islanders in money gram collecting money as well. Why do you people have such hatred towards these islands but welcome the puerto ricans, americans, those from the middle east and those from the dominican republic. This small dependant territory has to many double standards. SMH
  • male (09/07/2012, 09:06) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    British Virgin ISLANDS... ayo is ISLAND people too... hahahahha
  • Not2Sure (09/07/2012, 12:24) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    It is funny. No one seems to be very concerned about all the BVIslanders who carry UK and US passports but do not live in those countries (but continue to renew them). I guess it is only a problem if foreigners do it to you, but not if you do it to foreigners.
  • ???? (09/07/2012, 19:17) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    @Hyacinth Bob: I don't understand your point at all. Discrete said that the "island people" (I dont know why the hell we are still using that phrase if Tortola itself is an island....people wake the hell up) contribute to our infrastructure etc from paying taxes, which is TRUE. They do contribute, so I am failing to see your point. If you went to another man's country, you would be seen as a "foreigner" or whatever you want to call it. I find that the majority of people in the B.V.I. are very hateful or degrading of people who are not from here and I think it should stop. If they come here and choose to send their money back home, so what? At least they are putting it to good use, because I believe that the "island people" as you call them, are a good example of people who save their money in order to get somewhere. So stop hate. And yes, you can assume that I am an "island person".....cause I am from TORTOLA....a land mass surrounded by water (aka an island).
  • RedMan (09/07/2012, 20:46) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Yo...I know of a woman who was living in the B.V.I from Guyana getting belonger status and a B.V.I passport then moving stateside for a few yrs. getting pregnant and as soon as the baby was born, the woman returned to the B.V.I and was able to get belonger status for the baby as well as a B.V.I passport .....as soon as that was done the woman returned stateside and has resided there ever since and still has been able to renew her and the child's who is now 13yrs passport as well....So according to the artical above...How was this done ?? can someone explain??
  • Not Right (09/07/2012, 20:56) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    I don't agree that persons who hold belonger status, should have it revoke, because they lived out side the Virgin Islands for a period of time. I know a few people who this happened to and they had family living here and they visited there family every now and then before moving back.


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