20-year residency requirement for BVI belongership status cut in half

(CMC) – The waiting period for a non-national to be granted belongership status in the British Virgin Islands will be cut in half.

This announcement was made by Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley who said the Immigration Department will be using the 10-year threshold as outlined in the constitution of the British Overseas Territory. 

A belongership is a legal classification of residents whether by birth, ancestry, marriage, naturalisation or other stipulated means. 

In his update on the Implementation of the Recommendations Of the Commission of Inquiry in the House of Assembly earlier this week,  Wheatley said the Immigration Department has, “discontinued the use of the previous response given to applicants who did not meet the 20-year requirement”.

“Cabinet committed that from 1st June, 2022, the existing legislation on residency threshold – minimum of 10 years – would be followed pending completion of the above-mentioned review,”  Wheatley stated.

“A project commenced on May 29, 2022, to strengthen administrative systems within the Status Unit to be better positioned to process applications. Additionally, the board has been reviewing the processing guidelines. In the coming months, we expect to engage in discussions on the difficult, but the necessary subject of immigration reform,” he added.

The belongership issue was brought up in the Commission of Inquiry Report that recommended a review of the existing policy and processes of granting residency and belongership status, including the discretion by Cabinet to grant such statuses, and the number of residency years required for belongership.

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