Cabinet releases schedule of reduced fees under its latest amnesty program for non-compliant immigrants
The Cabinet has announced the schedule of fees for its amnesty programme, which is set to commence next week.
The Executive says it “is aware that many non-nationals have been unable to meet the cost of regularizing their immigration status because of the lack of financial resources.”
Therefore, instead of eliminating the requisite fees, the Cabinet agreed to reduce many of them so that immigrants can bring their status up to date.
During its weekly sitting, the Cabinet is said to have received a report from the Minister of Immigration that details a two-tiered system.
The Cabinet Notes say that, based on Tier 1, each person seeking to regularize his or her residency having resided here for more than four years, but less than seven, must pay a processing fee of EC $200, which will accompany the application form.
Those qualifying for the second tier – having been resident here for more than seven years and therefore being eligible for citizenship – will pay the same amount.
Meanwhile, CARICOM nationals seeking an extension of their residency will be required to pay a fee of $150, while non-CARICOM nationals will pay $300.
CARICOM nationals seeking citizenship “will have an additional base fee of $2,000 and a processing fee of $200,” the Notes report, and non-CARICOM nationals will be charged a base fee of $3,500 with the $200 processing fee.
The amnesty is expected to run for two months – from March 1 to April 30.
