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BVI Gateway Portal to be more 'user friendly' in a week- Premier Fahie

- touts major improvements to overall COVID-19 traveller protocols
Announced in October 2021 and launched the following month, the portal was designed to improve efficiency with processing travelers to the VI in keeping with COVID-19 re-entry protocols. Photo: VINO/File
Virgin Islands (VI) Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) says his government is working to bring improvements to the BVI Traveler Gateway Portal, a website essential for travelers coming to the VI. Photo: Facebook
Virgin Islands (VI) Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) says his government is working to bring improvements to the BVI Traveler Gateway Portal, a website essential for travelers coming to the VI. Photo: Facebook
WEST END, Tortola, VI – Virgin Islands (VI) Premier and Minister of Finance, Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) says his government is working to bring improvements to the BVI Traveller Gateway Portal, a website essential for travellers coming to the territory.

Announced in October 2021 and launched the following month, the portal was designed to improve efficiency with processing travellers to the VI in keeping with COVID-19 re-entry protocols.

However, since its launch, there have been several complaints regarding bugs and system errors with the operation of the portal, which uses two-step verification on registration.

Premier Fahie, speaking at a Community Meeting at the Leonora Delville Primary School on Sunday, August 29, 2021, said improvements should come in a week's time.

“We are now working on making the portal more user friendly and hopefully by this week we will accomplish that also,” the Premier said briefly while updating that the project remains a work in progress.

Positive feedback received

He said more overall improvements have been implemented to the traveller processing system and at the various ports as evident from positive feedback on initiatives such as COVID-19 rapid testing at the ports.

“I don’t know how if anyone came back through the airport or even the seaport and you see how efficient it is compared to how it was, we don’t hear those stories often, we only see the ones on Facebook that’s not so well,” he said.

“But most persons that go through that would call and tell me this is a remarkable improvement because we have the rapid test. Within 15-20 minutes you have your results.”

According to Premier Fahie, the test result is also made available via phones with the provision of QR codes.

24 Responses to “BVI Gateway Portal to be more 'user friendly' in a week- Premier Fahie”

  • huh (30/08/2021, 08:10) Like (13) Dislike (2) Reply
    Who designed the portal? Did we overpay a local company rather than buy a cheaper more efficient design from overseas?
    • @HUH (30/08/2021, 10:19) Like (15) Dislike (0) Reply
      An experienced local team would've done a 10 times better job at probably half the price. When we hear local we often think mediocre but there are good quality companies in the BVI, we are just negative against our own.
    • Curfew (30/08/2021, 11:02) Like (10) Dislike (2) Reply
      Why is the CURFEW still there Mr Andrew Fauci
  • Now I am Listening. (30/08/2021, 08:30) Like (13) Dislike (6) Reply
    Great News, hope its not just talk...Them staff in health want to run things, they like it difficult like how it is, Carvin can't get them handle, I hope you Mr. Premier can get them handle and get them to cooperate in making entry protos more simple and life easier for teavelers....Time to Propel forward.!.
  • Lucifer (30/08/2021, 08:45) Like (43) Dislike (0) Reply
    Every time I have used the portal I have needed to chase someone for clearance in spite of uploading all the necessary documents and test results in good time. USVI portal on the other hand is a lot more straightforward and gives you authorization within a few hours (if that) no chasing necessary. It shouldn't be that difficult to have a working system but somehow BVI still manages to mess it up.

    • x (30/08/2021, 13:50) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
      It takes minutes for me to get authorization form the USVI. I think they work around the clock to. I know someone who applied after midnight and got their authorization within the hour.
  • wow (30/08/2021, 09:17) Like (20) Dislike (2) Reply


    what about your Immigration and customs officers being more efficient. You know how long you have to stand in a line before you ar attended to .

    They working as though they doing you a favor.

    This has to be rectified. Please Mr. Premier.

  • dua (30/08/2021, 09:35) Like (24) Dislike (6) Reply
    You think that the COI is going to say you are doing a great job and forget about all the crap you did in the past, you are trying to hang on to a sinking ship. Nothing your government dose on line works the way you say it should work.
    • A VOTER IN #6 (30/08/2021, 10:28) Like (2) Dislike (2) Reply
      HATES HATERS. TAKE A REST YOU MAY GET HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE.
  • KEEP US SAFE (30/08/2021, 10:10) Like (2) Dislike (4) Reply
    KEEP IT DIFFICULT
  • Outsider (30/08/2021, 10:36) Like (5) Dislike (10) Reply
    Will this put to an end the ridiculous requirement that unvaccinated people must take a taxi to their quarantine place instead of getting in their own car at the airport?

    Let us not look like fools.
    • Crazy stupidness and foolishness (30/08/2021, 12:08) Like (5) Dislike (3) Reply
      If somebody is so stupid and foolish as to not get vaccinated, then we can't trust them to drive to their quarantine and they need to be taken by a law abiding quarantined taxi driver. Taxi drivers who are not quarantined should be be driving anybody!
  • DOnut (30/08/2021, 10:39) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    Everything here in the u s place is subpar. The simplest of things are not implemented and if implemented it must become the making of a mountain out of a molehill. The inconvenience and monetary loss stress and frustration experienced by we the people is literally sickening. Competency and intelligence is totally lacking.
  • Jane (30/08/2021, 12:22) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    The words piss-up and brewery spring to mind with everything this current government touches.
  • support (30/08/2021, 13:21) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    GOOD , LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE TO GET A STANFORD OR OXFORD DEGREE TO MANAGE THE CURRENT ONE- EVEN MY FRIEND WHIO IS A LAWYER IS BAFFLE . USVI IS SO SIMPLE MY KIDS DID THEIR OWN.
  • Samat (30/08/2021, 14:26) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Its time they update the questions on the portal too. Why in the world does BVIHSA need to know the size and girth of my lower male member?!? What does that have to do with covid or travel entry?!? Non sense!
  • hmm (30/08/2021, 15:04) Like (5) Dislike (1) Reply
    8 pages of unnecessary information. Can't get the calendar to the right date or the ferry time in on your mobile device. When you enter bvi you still have to fill out another 3 pages of identical information on some USVI owned Hummingbird app. Go take your day 4 test and you better hope you have internet to go right back to the Hummingbird app to fill out the same information yet again. Incompetent people making these decisions. Be better compared to the rest of the world not compared to your previous incompetence.
  • D#8 (30/08/2021, 15:26) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    When NDP was in we do nothing, You all put in the VIP and now you are still complaining. I am going to say is Darm if you do and Darm if you don't. All I will say is that JESUS did good and they still put him on the cross. So Government VIP or NDP or whoever, you will never please these people. JUST PRAY to God for help.
  • Thks Premier..First Thing. Vax Card. (30/08/2021, 16:53) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
    The Vaxination Card need to be officially stamped and have a picture of the person..When I travel they always look at this plain Card suspiciously,, and they right because it looks like something anyone can write up...That card needs urgent attention.
  • Unnecessary (30/08/2021, 17:02) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Totally.
  • Ning (01/09/2021, 09:12) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Wow! After a WHOLE YEAR of complaints and frustration. Can't wait to see this.


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