Janine Mendes-Franco (Global Voices) explores the United Kingdom’s new requirements for Trinidad & Tobago nationals. She quotes, “[O]ur colonists have found another way to extract our wealth …”
On March 12, the UK government instituted changes to its visitor visa requirements for nationals of Trinidad and Tobago. The Caribbean nation is a former British colony and a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, a political association primarily comprised of former territories of the British Empire.
Jon Dean, the newly appointed High Commissioner to the twin island republic, recorded a video explaining the change, which soon started to make the rounds on social media channels: [see original Global Voices article for videos and photos.]
An accompanying press release sent to the media made it clear that the measure, which was immediately implemented, was taken because of “a significant increase in the number of Trinidad and Tobago nationals coming to the UK as visitors only to claim asylum on arrival, constituting a misuse of the immigration system.” On March 13, a requirement for in-transit visas was also introduced.
There will, however, be a six-week transition period, ending on April 23, wherein travellers who made bookings and obtained electronic travel authorisations (ETAs) prior to the change will still be allowed to enter; this grace period also applies to in-transit passengers.
In an attempt to soften the news, which he understood people would find “disappointing,” the high commissioner stressed the “friendly ties” between the two countries, explaining that the measure was “designed to support safe and secure travel” while protecting UK borders. “As a valued Commonwealth partner,” Dean added, “Trinidad and Tobago remains an important part of the UK’s global community.”
To many, this felt like lip service. Timothy Christopher P Nokio suggested that the “deeper implications of this decision [extend] beyond personal inconvenience to matters of national dignity, historical ties, and diplomatic relations”:
“Trinidad and Tobago was once a British Crown Colony, with deep historical, cultural, and economic links to the UK. Generations of our citizens have studied, worked, and built lives in Britain, contributing to its society and economy. Many of our laws, institutions, and governance structures still bear the mark of British influence. The ability to travel freely to the UK was not just a convenience—it was a recognition of this shared history. Now, with this new restriction, many feel as though our long-standing relationship is being eroded and that Trinidad and Tobago is being unfairly grouped with nations that have had no such historic ties.”
Adding insult to injury is the hefty cost of GBP 115 (approximately TTD 1,012) for a six-month multiple-entry visa, making it one of the most expensive to acquire — and the cost only goes up from there. A visitor’s visa for medical purposes is GBP 200 (TTD 1,760) and will grant you an 11-month stay. Academics pay the same price but can stay a year. Two-year, five-year and 10-year visas range from GBP 432 (TTD 3,800) to GBP 963 (just under TTD 8,500), all with six-month visit limits. [. . .]
Read full article at https://globalvoices.org/2025/03/14/from-visa-free-to-visa-fees-the-uks-new-requirements-for-trinidad-tobago-nationals-stir-debate/