Uncover the Laundryman's Secrets

Sunday, November 10, 2024

DOMINICA'S UK VISA-FREE ENTRY PRIVILEGES, REVOKED IN 2023, APPEAR FAR FROM BEING RESTORED IN 2025

The loss of visa-free entry privileges of the Commonwealth of Dominica, which continues, does not appear to be close to being reversed anytime soon. The UK Home Secretary took that action in 2023, stating “Careful consideration of Dominica’s and Vanuatu’s operation of a citizenship by investment scheme has shown clear and evident abuse of the scheme, including the granting of citizenship to individuals known to pose a risk to the UK.”

While Dominica's Prime Minister has publicly inferred that his government is close to achieving the restoration of visa-free entry to his country's passport holders, it seems that there has been no progress on satisfying the requirements of the UK Government, before it can be granted. You will recall that Skerrit stated back in July that the change in British government was the reason for the delay in obtaining approval. Then, in October, at a press conference he failed to supply any details regarding whether any progress had been made, and complained that the 2023 UK decision was "premature," and should not have been made. His promises of eventual restoration of visa-free privileges, to reassure potential investors, have no basis in fact.

If you remember details from his 2023 public statements, Skerrit admitted that there was one major specific requirement Dominica was bound to fulfill, but that it had not been completed. Given the importance the UK attached in 2023 to the national security risk posed by Dominic's Citizenship by Investment program, it is believed that the stumbling block is the large number of Russian CBI passport holders from Dominica, many of who would not otherwise have qualified for UK visas, due to their background. Did the UK insist that those passports be cancelled? We cannot say, but if that is the case, Dominica's historical reluctance to cancel CBI passports for any reason, including criminal activity, may be standing in the way of visa-free entry restoration.

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