Immigration Chief Urges 2022 Amnesty Applicants to Complete Process
Antigua and Barbuda’s Chief Immigration Officer, Katrina Yearwood, has urged participants of the 2022 Immigration Amnesty Programme to return to the department and finalize their applications, warning that many remain in legal limbo.
The programme attracted more than 3,000 applicants, who were issued acknowledgment cards at registration. However, Yearwood said many misunderstood the cards as proof of legal status. “They thought that when they received the card, the card automatically gave them a passport or automatically gave them residency,” she told Observer.
Instead, the cards served only as evidence of participation, with applicants still required to lodge formal requests for citizenship or residency. Yearwood said the misconception has left some individuals without legal status for over a year, with the risk that they may now need another amnesty opportunity.
She stressed that no new applications are being accepted and warned that further delays could deepen the applicants’ legal difficulties.
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When would it be a new amnesty?
Anonymous, sorry I cannot help you with an answer but it’s when the hell ALP feels like, that’s one of the ways they use to keep themselves in office, you know how they roll, they cannot trust and depend on us the Antiguans anymore
CIO, is the amnesty open to former PM Rowley of Trinidad and Tobago?
Is this call coming fim you or the political directorate to make the public forget about your incompetence and the easy way our border security was breached?
If that call is from you, the authorities should serve us your head.
Have you forgotten that it is this never ending amnesty which has caused us to lose visa free access to Canada?
I think the born and bred Antiguan is much more interested in getting answers as to who at the airport was able to use you since March 2025 when Rowley was the prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago to have him flagged as a criminal wanted by Interpol.
Please forget about amnesty and deal with real issues.
By the way, while I have your attention please tell us about the fire which destroyed the Social Security property which is occupied by the immigration department.
Was the property insured?
Who will foot tge bill for the repairs if it wasn’t insured?
If it wasn’t insured why not?
Madam Chief, there is too many pressing issues for you to concentrate on amnesty.
Are you still a partner in the Anguillan law firm and how much time do you spend in your Antiguan office compared to your Anguillan office?
The amnesty was a golden opportunity, and people dropped the ball. At the same time, government could have done more follow-up instead of letting folks fall through the cracks.
If over 3,000 people applied and many of them misunderstood the process, then clearly the communication wasn’t clear enough. Immigration should take some responsibility too
Well all that should have been explained in the amnesty sensitization program. Its three years later and now we are hearing of this problem. I would think to myself I’m in good standing as well after so long
I needed a stamp in my new passport cause the old one was lost so had to get amnesty to do so cause that the only way I could get it or had to pay some ridiculous fee, u all promise me an other ppl a certificate to prove u went thru amnesty an promised to call so u got have it up to now me or some others I kno never got it, honestly I don’t care bout that certificate cause I got my indefinite stamp but what bout the others that don’t use indefinite stay?
A lot of people should be happy that the amnesty was given,but not to do a follow up on their immigration Status,they have to face the consequences….
Maybe they no longer have interest in becoming citizens. Remember ANU is a free for all
Hopefully the government ensures the process is smooth and accessible. Some participants might struggle without proper guidance or support
How many yardie ?
Wait to do the full process, isn’t their some shape of money involved to get it done? Well they waiting for the money now. Isn’t that how the government work. Instead of ppl paying their way, the authorities must dish out money. Why U think the registration of card going so slow. Dem ppl them waiting to get pay to do their just process.
Gaston beg you to please for voters in the upcoming election, this is crazy, no country in the world plee with all sort of unknown characters to become citizens of their country like antigua politicians do, both party ALP and UPP, you think the USA would a pleas for you to become citizens?
And this daughter of robin gotta hop to be validated, but as soon as she inherit she father wealth she gone leave us in this mess, but them same forced citizenship will haunt her later as she is home and her house is broken into. And so too the ALP politicians will face all these undesirables that they give Antigua solemn citizenship to. In the virgin islands, even though you become a citizen, any heinous crime you commit, your property is seized and you are reported.
But Antigua has mentally ill people imported and under the government care plus a danger to the public just for votes.
Gaston beg you to plee for voters in the upcoming election, this is crazy, no country in the world plee with all sort of unknown characters to become citizens of their country like antigua politicians do, both party ALP and UPP, you think the USA would a plee for you to become citizens?
And this daughter of robin gotta hop to be validated, but as soon as she inherit she father wealth she gone leave us in this mess, but them same forced citizenship will haunt her later as she is home and her house is broken into. And so too the ALP politicians will face all these undesirables that they give Antigua solemn citizenship to. In the virgin islands, even though you become a citizen, any heinous crime you commit, your property is seized and you are deported
But Antigua has mentally ill people imported and under the government care plus a danger to the public just for votes.