Beautiful Virgin Islands

Thursday, Jun 05, 2025

Rankin: Over 1000 new apps for residency & belongership made since Jan 2022

Rankin: Over 1000 new apps for residency & belongership made since Jan 2022

United Kingdom (UK) appointed Governor John J. Rankin, CMG has once again expressed disappointment with the delay in the implementation of reforms coming out of the UK-sponsored Commission of Inquiry (CoI).

The Governor at a press conference attended by just two media entities today, April 6, 2023, said only 20 of the 48 recommendations have been completed to date and the Minister for Overseas Territories Lord Goldsmith is also not pleased with the pace of the implementation of reforms.

Huge backlog of applications

One of the areas the Governor is displeased with is what he said was the delay in the processing of applications for residency and belongership.

“There is a huge backlog of old applications and since the 1st of January last year over one thousand new applications have been made but little if any progress has been made in dealing with them.”

Mr Rankin said he is working with the Premier and his Office and the Deputy Governor’s Office to find a solution.

“This will require a significant amount of time and resources but frankly this should have happened already.”

Governor Rankin reminded that under the Framework Document, the Government made a commitment to prioritise and allocate resources to the agreed reforms.
More than 1500 expats living and working in the VI for more than 20 years were given certificates of Residency and Belonger at a ceremony on December 16, 2019.



Audit on ‘Fast Track Programme’ received- Governor

The Governor also said he was pleased to announce he has received the audit on the 2019 Residency and Belongership Fast Track Programme and that he is working through it in consultation with others as appropriate.

“I look forward to its publication in due course.”

The Fast Track Programme was led by former Premier Andrew A. Fahie to help alleviate a backlog of applications that had accumulated over the years.

More than 1500 expats living and working in the VI for more than 20 years were given certificates of Residency and Belonger at a ceremony on December 16, 2019.

More than 1000 of the persons receiving status were from the ‘Fast Track’ Regularisation Programme.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Global News Roundup: From Ukraine's strategic military strikes and Russia's demands and Tensions Escalate in Ukraine, to serious legal issues faced by Britons in Bali and Trump's media criticism, the latest developments highlight a turbulent landscape
Majority of French Voters View Macron's Presidency as a Failure
Hungary Partners with China to Boost Electric Vehicle Production
‘Vibe Coding’ Emerges as the New DIY Trend
AI Pioneer Yoshua Bengio Warns Models Can Deceive Users
Big Four Firms Rush to Create AI Auditing Systems
Musk’s xAI Pursues $113 Billion Valuation in New Share Sale
Walmart Increases Revenue Despite Shrinking Workforce
Hims & Hers Plans UK and EU Launch of Replica Obesity Drugs
Toyota to Acquire Supplier in $33 Billion Buyout
U.S. Reduces Military Presence in Syria
Trump Demands Iran End All Uranium Enrichment in Nuclear Talks
China Accuses US of Violating Trade Truce
Panama Port Owner Balances US-China Pressures
France Implements Nationwide Outdoor Smoking Ban to Protect Children
German Chancellor Merz Keeps Putin Guessing on Missile Strategy
Mandelson Criticizes UK's 'Fetish' for Abandoning EU Regulations
British Fishing Boat Owner Fined €30,000 by French Authorities
Dutch government falls as far-right leader Wilders quits coalition
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
×