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Draft Immigration policy proposes 10 yrs for Residency & 20 yrs for Belongership eligibility

-Public asked to give their feedback on draft policy by Friday February 2, 2024
A draft immigration policy is proposing the length of time a person must be residing in the territory to become eligible for residency and belongership status. Photo: VINO/File
According to Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7), the draft Immigration policy's foundation is built on balance—balancing economic growth with cultural integration and social stability. Photo: GIS/File
According to Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7), the draft Immigration policy's foundation is built on balance—balancing economic growth with cultural integration and social stability. Photo: GIS/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- A draft immigration policy is proposing the length of time a person must be residing in the territory to become eligible for residency and belongership status.

The draft ‘Belonger Status and Permanent Residence Policy for the Virgin Islands’ was published on January 29, 2024, and the Government of the Virgin Islands is inviting feedback from the public.

According to the draft policy, applicants must be ordinarily resident in the Territory for at least 10 years before becoming eligible to apply for permanent residence. To become eligible to apply for Belonger Status, an applicant must be ordinarily a resident in the Territory for at least 20 years.  

The proposal is a carbon copy of the policy that the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) had flagged as being unlawful, as the Government policy only allowed persons to apply for Belonger status after living in the VI for more than 20 years; however, the current law stipulates that persons can apply for this status after residing in the Territory for more than 10 years.

Draft policy is built on ‘balance’- Premier

According to Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7), the policy's foundation is built on balance—balancing economic growth with cultural integration and social stability.

“It recognises the invaluable contributions of immigrants to our community, while also safeguarding the interests and heritage of Virgin Islanders,” Dr Wheatley said.

The policy is now accessible on the Government’s website and persons are encouraged to submit feedback to mtcsd@gov.vg by Friday, February 2, 2024.

See HERE to access Draft Policy

46 Responses to “Draft Immigration policy proposes 10 yrs for Residency & 20 yrs for Belongership eligibility”

  • (30/01/2024, 11:59) Like (14) Dislike (82) Reply
    20 years is to short it needs to be 30 years
    • @... (30/01/2024, 13:13) Like (72) Dislike (6) Reply
      And yet I'm sure you would willingly accept your UK or US passport the second it is offered? Hypocrite.
    • hmm! (30/01/2024, 13:21) Like (41) Dislike (5) Reply
      That should be the same for people when from here travel to the USA territories. Sounds fear to me right?
      • Comment (30/01/2024, 20:46) Like (2) Dislike (9) Reply
        Make the labour laws line up with the immigration laws. A five year labor contracts and you must leave the country.
    • J.C (30/01/2024, 18:57) Like (19) Dislike (7) Reply
      I am born and raise in the B.V.I and have family from here too and even I think that's stupid. Make it 15 years and it's fair all around. Twenty years is too long and even people who have been here that long don't get their belongers for years after that. This country is a melting pot but with how we treat people and how our own people are leaving do you really want to make it harder for us as a country to survive?
    • @…. (30/01/2024, 20:19) Like (6) Dislike (10) Reply
      We just need to rotate workers every 5 years. Stop allowing person to feel so comfortable to stay forever..
      • Justin Case (31/01/2024, 08:39) Like (5) Dislike (3) Reply
        Yes, yes, intelligent thinking. So all the medical staff, teachers, cleaners, most hospitality workers, financial services all leave. What a great way to build a territory. Most ayo are born in USVI, so ayo are wannabes Americans.
      • Truth (01/03/2024, 09:38) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
        After the 5 years rotation, would the BVI islanders do the jobs. your population can hardly cover the workload here in BVI. You should be thankful for the skilled workers who comes here to offer their service.
    • stupid (29/02/2024, 18:29) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      Yes your right, must be 5yrs not 10years
  • Yes (30/01/2024, 12:02) Like (8) Dislike (12) Reply
    I support this Policy. Also when the persons reaches 20 years, they should be automatically be granted Belonger status. In the UK, persons are denied Belonger status even when they have the stipulated number of years.
  • Silent Majority (30/01/2024, 12:05) Like (43) Dislike (3) Reply
    What is the point of asking for feedback? You never listen to us the majority.
  • Styles. (30/01/2024, 12:45) Like (18) Dislike (0) Reply
    So does this mean that after 20 you actually get belongership or will your form land on a pile first to be looked at 4 years after submission?

    As long as we don’t take the discretion out of the ministers rights they will keep dragging our territory down.
  • Realistic Thinker/Writer (30/01/2024, 12:47) Like (3) Dislike (4) Reply
    Black to black, especially, of course other ethnicity, too, is so unjust, my Lord, we can't afford but You to trust.
    ______________________________________

    In reference to the Topic Issue, has any person or persons been granted resident status before 10 years? In addition, has any person or persons been granted or belongers status less than 20 years. What does our record will revealed?

    Suggestions: residency 09 years.
    . Belongers 18 years



  • this needs careful thought (30/01/2024, 13:01) Like (6) Dislike (2) Reply
    the trouble with these applications for residency and belongership is that the vetting process lacks depth.
    it needs to be made very clear that if applicante submit false statemenets then there risk jail time..same with those who write reference letters for individuals...if they are not truthful then those people need to be prosecuted.
    when the fast track happened there were so many individuals who just applied and said they had lived here full time for X number of years..when they had actually departed the territory years ago and just maintained a work.permit. that is wrong.
    i fully support those who live here..commit to the territory ...help build us up..but to automatically be granted is wrong.
    be very careful with this bill...... think carefully...........
    ince you receive residency you still need to reside herr...ince you receive belongership.....what stops you from leaving and just taking advantages from afar of what this gives you.....property rights wtc...how do these individuals show that they arent just going to leave and never return once they have this statuss. maybe they must show that there continue to li e here for minimum 6 months per year.????
  • son of the soil (30/01/2024, 13:06) Like (6) Dislike (16) Reply
    7 years max....leave....re-apply....leh we consider
  • HMMM (30/01/2024, 14:53) Like (6) Dislike (1) Reply
    The supporting documents needed is another thing. Imagine you have to get a police record from your home country if you coming first time here on work permit, live here for over 20 years and you still have to get police record from your home country when you've been living here. Applying for resident for a child born here when they reach age of ten you have to get local police record for a ten years old child. Just wow
  • BigThink (30/01/2024, 15:14) Like (8) Dislike (1) Reply
    “It recognises the invaluable contributions of immigrants to our community, while also safeguarding the interests and heritage of Virgin Islanders”
    A true statement which is meant to pander to ppl who don't think clearly. Question: In the 20 years it takes a person to become eligible to apply for belongership, do they not continually live in the BVI? So if there is mixing and mingling whether you're a belonger or not for 20 years, how would the social landscape not have undergone change (held suspended) as regards to safeguarding "interests and heritage" if belongership were to be granted sooner? Except in the case where "interests and heritage" means to be suceptible to exploitation, then I don't see any difference, granting belongership sooner than 20 years.
    Nevertheless, the real crux here is that this bill again takes the laziest approach "number of years". wasn't there a recommendation by the esteemed Malone for a robust points based system? We have to stop paying these consultancies and then going back to doing business as usual.
    How about persons who have invested in land or setting up a business, employing ppl. Do they also wait just the same as a construction labourer? How about police, nurses and other emergency and civil service workers? Is it 20 years just the same? There must be a more comprehensive approach to this.
    • @BigThink (30/01/2024, 20:39) Like (4) Dislike (8) Reply
      They shouldn’t be here for 20 years on a work permit rotate every five years.
  • Norris Turnbull (30/01/2024, 16:50) Like (5) Dislike (2) Reply
    the current law stipulates that persons can apply for this status after residing in the Territory for more than 10 years.
    Why change this?
    • islander (30/01/2024, 17:12) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      They are trying to get people out of their country
    • Umm (30/01/2024, 17:23) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
      The current law does not state this. You must first have residency before you can get belongers. The law stipulates this. So even if you live here 10 yrs you cannot get belongers until you first have residency
  • jah (30/01/2024, 19:38) Like (2) Dislike (4) Reply
    some of them need to stay home- come here just for the US-Dollars
  • Okkk (30/01/2024, 19:47) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    And how much years for people that married a BvIslander?
  • RedStorm (30/01/2024, 20:26) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    These two entities of residency and Belonger status will forever be a whole in the ribs of The BVI. Really none of those young expats cares about the status. They married to whoever locals they want and in five years they can move to higher ground and get better status. They can group themselves and become business owners, thereby gain their status. No expat should stay in Tortola to receive a status while paying work permit. It does not profit them,but the locals. Paying rent allow the local the opportunity to own their homes quickly than when no one is renting. The balloon of a house insurance ,kick everyone after the hurricanes. Work permit fees, immigration time, water, electricity,and transportation all benefit from the expat. Send them all home and see what happens.

    Caribbean or West Indies expat no longer come to stay they come to visit after they realize that their money got th same power.one US dollar is equal to 2.75EC$ and most of them have their own house or houses, plant their own food and build their country. Why do you think they will leave a less stress place to come to a more stress place? So,it could be 40 years most do not care, for they see the hands of the local, trying to protect something they don’t have. One nurse told me her retirement soon come and she will return to her country. Who is there to fill that gap? No local nurse.
    • Besides Me. (30/01/2024, 21:30) Like (0) Dislike (2) Reply
      Red Storm.. send them home and see what happens? You pay for your mortgage... you signed off on it. When your expat outside woman/ man go home go there and have your fun with her/him
      • @Besides Me. (31/01/2024, 18:43) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
        There are millions of unemployed people in the world. The mortgage will be paid.
  • what's new? (30/01/2024, 20:59) Like (12) Dislike (0) Reply
    Is it me or nothing changed as a reseult of the COI's reccomendation?
  • Forbidden Truth (30/01/2024, 21:37) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
    The consent of the governed must be respected in this because it's susceptible to abuse.
  • Realist (30/01/2024, 21:54) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    I wish we all go home and leave your expensive apartments, unhealthy water supply, second class internet supply, deplorable roads, mediocre customer service and expensive food. I wish we could and see the outcome. The banks will go with your homes and your expensive apartment and you will get place to yourselves.
    • Norris Turnbull (31/01/2024, 06:42) Like (2) Dislike (3) Reply
      At Realist. You are a dam ingrate and a danger to this country.
  • Interesting (30/01/2024, 23:39) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
    These comments from visitors to our shores really amazes me. Who do you think you are. Selfish and entitled. You are trying to condemn a territory for not giving you what they don’t have to give you. This gift of permanent status is not something that u are entitled to. You will ever be satisfied. This conversation is getting stale. Government. hurry and accept the policy amend the law, develop stringent immigration policies and let’s get things under control. It’s the responsible thing to do.
  • foreign (31/01/2024, 04:04) Like (4) Dislike (3) Reply
    Don't know how these expats people can stay in a country where they are not appreciated.. BVI landers do not like expats and will do anything to oppress them. I once lived in the BVI and cursed that day I ever set foot on BVI soil.. Expats who live and work in the BVI , pay tax and still have to wait 20 years to be properly documented. But yet still they can travel to the U S have babies born on U S soil and reap all those benefits in no time. And ya'll want to know why each time the BVI take one step forward , they going 7 steps backwards.
  • El Demonio Negro (31/01/2024, 09:02) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    I agree you got 10 to 20 years to live clean employed and stay out of trouble THEN you can be a citizen.
  • Pat macgroine (31/01/2024, 15:44) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
    Imagine if everyone on a work permit went on strike for one day, the island would come to a stand still.
    Human rights is not something anyone should have to beg for.
  • 2cool (01/02/2024, 08:40) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    What status will be given to a baby born in the Virgin Islands whose parents are not from the the Virgin Islands
  • Unknow (01/02/2024, 11:21) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Es lo más estúpido que mis ojos vieron es algo absurdo ver cómo un ministro le pide opinión al pueblo de algo que es su responsabilidad de el me molesta ver cómo algunas personas nativas de tortola tratan al emigrante no es nada más al dominicano estoy hablando en general deverían tener vergüenza muchos de sus abuelos , tíos , padre , madre cuando aquí en tortola no avía nada se fueron a santo domingo Venezuela y otras islas a trabajar para poder mantener sus familias por esa razón hoy en día hay muchas personas de diferentes países aquí con los mismos derechos que ustedes ahora yo quiero saber si cuando sus parientes se fue de aquí sin documentos tuvieron que esperar 15/20/30 años para poder conseguir documentos tórtola siempre será la isla que menos avance por qué los que tienen el poder de implantar un cambio no tienen ni idea de que hacer señor ministro dígale a su pueblo que el 80 %de la isla se sustenta del inmigrante me crie aquí y no me arrepiento porque mis mejores y peores momento los paso aquí pero me molesta ver tantas personas ignorantes.


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