fp Turks and Caicos

No one can become a Turks and Caicos Islander (Belonger) with the right to vote except by birth, descent, adoption or marriage for at least 10 years under a draft ordinance being considered by the Consultative Forum and Advisory Council.

Permanent Resident Certificates (PRC) will require at least 10 years residence but will no longer be available to unskilled migrant workers, except those who have held a work permit for at least 10 years when the ordinance is enacted in the next few weeks.

Wealthy investors no longer will be able to get quick PRCs through investments, but they will be able to get new long-term investors’ residence permits for up to 10 years that are renewable. The amount of investment is increased from $75,000 to $250,000 on islands other than Provo, where it remains $500,000.

These and other changes come after a three-month consultation led by members of the Consultative Forum.

“The Ministry of Border Control and Labour is determined that the new provisions be set out clearly in published rules and guidance for everyone to understand,” said Permanent Secretary Clara Gardiner. “This is what the people told the forum that they wanted during the public consultation.”

Other proposed provisions include:

• The introduction of a National Turks and Caicos Islander Status Card which will be sole evidence of Belonger status.
• Young people who were born in the TCI and spent all their lives here cannot become islanders, but they can become British Overseas Territories Citizens with the right to live and work in the islands
• A new criminal offence of entering into a marriage to avoid the provisions of the Immigration Ordinance or enable someone else to do so.
• A new definition of “dependent child,” removing stepchildren except where they are formally adopted
• A provision to revoke bestowed Belonger status if the Belonger is not ordinarily resident in the islands and has been convicted of a crime and sentenced to 12 months or more in prison