VISA News Thread.

[Flex]

Rowley’s request: Let Trinis enter Canada visa-free
BY SEAN DOUGLAS (NEWSDAY).

The Prime Minister called on Canada to eliminate its requirement for T&T citizens to get a visa to enter that country.

He was speaking at the Caricom heads meeting in Barbados on Tuesday. Dr Keith Rowley’s remarks were directed at Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne who was present, even as Canada’s PM Justin Trudeau cancelled his intended visit.

Champagne had told leaders his country is taking steps to strengthen its relationship with Caricom, and has proposed an annual meeting between the two.

A statement from the Office of the Prime Minister said in reply to Champagne, Rowley asked Canada to consider lifting its visa requirements for T&T nationals and by extension those of the region. He said both sides will be "well served by the removal of this barrier given Trinidad and Tobago’s deep and historical connections with Canada."

Rowley also vowed to help further the work of the Caricom Single Market and Economy. He promised two officers from the Ministry of Foreign and Caricom Affairs will be seconded to the unit to bolster the regional integration initiative.

Caricom chairman and Barbados PM, Mia Mottley, spoke of the region’s response to the Wuhan novel coronavirus.

“When we left Castries in July last year, we had no clue that we would be facing a potential pandemic in the world with COVID-19.

“We didn’t have any idea that our ability to function as a single domestic space would be threatened by that development.”

She said the Implementation Agency for Crime and Security can track the movement of people and so alert border agents of risks posed by individuals entering the region. Mottley said this regional agency provides front-line protection for member states.

Outgoing caricom chairman, St Lucia PM Allen Chastanet, hailed the region’s collaboration against COVID-19.

“As many of you are aware, a week ago Saint Lucia was on high alert and thankfully the RSS (Regional Security System) stepped in to help get our samples to CARPHA for immediate testing and they quickly came back to us with news that we were coronavirus free.”

He hailed the RSS and CARPHA for going above and beyond the call of duty. “This reminds us of the importance of being part of a union; being part of a group that in times of emergency have your back. This is what being part of Caricom is about.”

On Wednesday, the leaders will consider the challenges of blacklisting, de-risking and the withdrawal of correspondent banking services, plus a proposed Caricom-African summit and other matters.

[Flex]

US Embassy announces changes to Visa Courier Service
T&T Guardian Reports.

Persons applying for US visas will now have to pay a fee for courier services, according to a new advisory issued by the U.S. Embassy Port of Spain.

The change is effective immediately, the advisory states, noting that the Visa Unit will no longer be able to provide free courier services for visa applicants. 

“This applies to both immigrant visa (IV) and non-immigrant visa (NIV) processing, including cases where the interview has been waived,” the statement explains.

The US Embassy advisory notes that applicants will be required to use TT Post to submit their documents for both types of visas.  NIV cases that can be submitted as interview-waived applications should carefully follow detailed NIV document submission instructions outlined on the U.S. Embassy’s website, here...
https://tt.usembassy.gov/submitting-an-interview-waived-u-s-non-immigrant-visa-application/
.

The US Embassy Visa Unit also is reminding immigrant visa applicants to bring all necessary documents to their interview, in order to avoid follow-up document submission requirements and consequent visa issuance delays.  However, in the event that a consular officer requires additional documents, IV applicants should carefully follow the detailed IV document submission instructions outlined on the U.S. Embassy website, here…  
https://tt.usembassy.gov/submitting-documents-for-u-s-immigrant-visa-applicants/
.

The advisory says this service change necessitates that all visa applicants also must provide a pre-addressed return courier envelope in order to receive their passports back after the visas are processed, printed and placed in the applicants’ passports.  Both IV and NIV applicants should bring these return courier packets purchased from TT Post to their interview appointments.

Members of the public are reminded they can access comprehensive information on how to apply for both immigrant and non-immigrant visas, by:

● Calling the Visa Call Center at 1-868-235-4500; or

● Visiting the U.S. Embassy website at
https://tt.usembassy.gov/visas/
.