The Department of Immigration has ramped up its operations at the Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport in efforts to facilitate the increase in the number of travelers being processed at the airport.

  Chief Immigration Officer Mr. Ian Penn said this move is a part of the long-standing practice of the department to ensure that the facilitation and regulation of international travel are administered in a manner that supports the overall socio-economic development of the Virgin Islands.

 Mr.  Penn said, “We had to change some procedures, and operational changes, in terms of our staffing complement, and the way in which we manage the schedule to allow for smoother processing.”

These adjustments include the deployment of the full capacity of Immigration Officers on site at the Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport, since the commencement of the direct flights between the Virgin Islands and Miami, launched by American Airlines on June 1.

Mr. Penn explained that similar procedures will also be applied to all larger flights, and in instances when multiple flights are being processed simultaneously.

The Chief Immigration Officer also addressed the time-frame for processing of the inaugural flights, “We cleared the first flight in 12 minutes and the second flight in 10 and half minutes,” he said, adding, “They went through the regular process. We had full capacity of officers on the ground, and we also benefitted from the assistance offered by the BVI Tourist Board.”

Mr. Penn explained that discontinuing the issuance of embarkation/debarkation cards significantly contributed to streamlining the process, ultimately contributing to a faster and more effective system.

The discontinuation of the forms is directly related to the department’s progress towards digitisation, in efforts to improve its operational functions and services.

The department of Immigration remains committed to safeguarding national security, and is guided by principles of integrity, as a means to support the stability and development of the Virgin Islands.