Visiting or working in the British Virgin Islands got dramatically more expensive for foreigners in October as local officials raised immigration fees by hundreds — in some cases thousands — of dollars.
The Department of Immigration’s Oct. 1 bump up came as a large chunk of the U.S. Virgin Islands’s charter boat industry repositioned to the BVI in hopes of avoiding steep new taxes on bringing passengers to the neighboring islands.
The more than 90 boats relocating from St. Thomas and St. John to avoid the fees introduced in June will take with them nearly $14 million in direct seasonal economic activity, USVI industry officials estimated. Any of the roughly 180 crew for those vessels who didn’t file their work permits before October may have been hit with an unexpected additional cost of doing business in the BVI.
The price of an entry form and stamp doubled Oct. 1 from $25 to $50. An official request to reside in the BVI had previously been free but was now $100, as was a “conditional permit application,” according to the Government Information Services website. If that request was approved, it would cost another $250.
A formerly-free work permit card now costs $75, and the formerly-free business visitor permit application is now $100.
Some of the regulations approved in June may need ironing out: The price for visitors to check in early or after hours aboard boats or aircraft with “below 15” people remained at $20 per hour that the officer on shift needed to work. That price rose Oct. 1 to $50 per hour for vessels with “16 or above” passengers. Department of Immigration documents did not specify the cost for vessels carrying exactly 15 passengers.
Checking in at remote or untraditional locations used to cost $20. Not anymore. Checking in off-site in Tortola or central Virgin Gorda now costs $500. Checking in off-site in Jost Van Dyke, Peter Island, Norman Island, or Cooper Island now costs $800. Alternate Anegada check-ins were now $1,000. North Shore Virgin Gorda, Saba Rock, Mosquito Island, and Necker Island check-ins were now $2,000. Each passenger in a group of up to 25 would need to pay an additional $100. That additional fee was cut to $50 for vessels of between 25 and 149 passengers, according to Department of Immigration documents.
An application for residency in the BVI used to be free, but as of July 1, now costs $250. If residency was granted, a status certificate that used to cost $300 now costs $1,500.
Some of the largest increases in residency fees were reserved for those seeking the coveted belonger status. Becoming a BVI belonger can take decades to acquire, even for those born in the British overseas territory. A formerly free application now costs $250. A certificate conferring belonger status used to cost $500 but, as of July 1, now costs $2,500.
The fee to appeal an immigration decision was free until Oct. 1 but now costs $850.
The Department of Immigration released a statement in September saying the new fees were needed to ensure the sustainability of its operations.
St. Croix Source
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