BY AVA TURNQUEST
Tribune Chief Reporter
aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
THE Department of Immigration will send out letters to persons who submitted applications for a Belonger’s permit before the relevant legislation was passed in Parliament advising them whether they have been approved, Immigration Director William Pratt said yesterday.
Mr Pratt said that the bulk of applications were received in November, when the policy was first announced, adding that the department accepted the documents without payment because the permit had not yet been established in law.
He could not confirm the number of applications that the department had received up to press time.
“Most of the applications came in when it was announced in November, because they thought we were going to be issuing right on the spot. We didn’t turn anyone away, they came with the application and we accepted them.”
“Letters have to be sent out to persons, then they have to come,” Mr Pratt said.
“The applications are in, but now that we have the green light to go ahead and approve them, they will be approved and letters sent to various addresses and people will come in and pay for them and then they can start collecting.”
The Immigration Amendment Act and its regulations were enforced on Monday. In addition to the new immigration status associated with the permit, the act also strengthens the powers of arrest of immigration officers and establishes an immigration reserve. It also criminalises the act of entering into a fraudulent marriage.
Mr Pratt said applicants were welcome to inquire on the status of their application, but pointed out that the department would make contact once the process had been completed using the information provided.
“We will give them a call once the approval letters are done,” he said, “The thing with it is those who are qualified under the law they will be approved. Persons applied and we accepted the applications, but we’re scrutinising applications and only those who qualify will be granted.”
The Belonger’s permit will only be issued to those who were born in the Bahamas to non-Bahamian parents, according to the act, and who are lawfully in The Bahamas.
The permit fee is $125.
Comments
duppyVAT 9 years, 6 months ago
Will the government make this list available for the public to know who they are ..... like when foreigners apply to get citizenship or name change????????????
Tommy77 9 years, 6 months ago
It's sad.
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TheMadHatter 9 years, 6 months ago
Letter addressed to:
Mr. Alphonse Pierre - Shack #287 - The Mud, Abaco - Bahamas
My2cents 9 years, 6 months ago
I hope that ALL of these applicants are between 18 and 19, since that is the only opportunity to legally apply. Like a Haitian-Bahamian said in another thread: Freedom of Information, now (or something to that effect).
judes 9 years, 6 months ago
I paid for the belonger permit from December 2014 The Government need to release this policy . Cause I'm a 21 year old Government High School Graduated and can't find a good job. This is a pain in the ass, i want to be a good father the right way.
duppyVAT 9 years, 6 months ago
If your mother was an unmarried illegal immigrant then ...................sorry. Our Constitution does not provide for you to gain Bahamian status
judes 9 years, 6 months ago
Sir my mother is Bahamian born, i was born in Haiti not her .....The constitution already acsept my application i have full rights to be a bahamain .. arriving to the bahamas before the age of 2 i could of aready gain citizenship if my mother wasn't a loving Christian .
My2cents 9 years, 6 months ago
Is she Bahamian or a Bahamian born Haitian?
If she is Bahamian, then you are entitled to automatic citizenship (source: DOI website); so the application process seems to be just a formality.
If she is a Bahamian born Haitian that never received Bahamian citizenship...you should have applied at 18 and before 19. If you applied in December, when you paid the belongers fee, you should legally be out of luck. The fact that you were born in Haiti means that you are not among those, 2nd gen Bahamas born, who might be considered stateless.
Just as Haitians are using the constitution against us...I feel like we should use the constitution to fight back against a population surge that we cannot realistically support without going the path of our Caribbean neighbours, including Haiti.
I sympathize for those of you who innocently get caught up. But as long as others in the same category continue to uphold and support illegal immigration, I am all for deporting whomever can be legally deported whether or not they ever saw a Haitian sunrise.
Please let us know how it works out for you. This government needs to be held to task for skirting laws they should be upholding. Maybe once we have that figured out, our economy might be one that has a surplus of jobs, and can realistically encourage immigration.
judes 9 years, 6 months ago
My mother is Bahamian citizen. I was born in Haiti not her.. The constitution already accepted my application . Arriving to the Bahamas before the age of TWO i have full rights to be a Bahamian citizen .. My mother is a honest Christian that's why she didn't Regester for a birth certificate or use a registered Affidavit..
Cas0072 9 years, 6 months ago
What? While the Bahamas constitution regarding citzenship is comprised of a complex matrix of what if scenarios, nowhere in the constitution does it state that a child born overseas up to age two is entitled to apply between the ages of 18 and 19. If your mother was a single Bahamian woman by natural citizenship or naturalization, then yes, you are entitled to apply for citizenship regardless of when or if you actually resided in the Bahamas. Yet, you are no different from the others who were born here to two illegal immigrant parents.
My2cents 9 years, 6 months ago
Judes, if your mother is a citizen there should be no problem; and best of luck to you.
But I don't understand the additional comments you made. As a Bahamian, born in the Bahamas, multiple generations in, I had to register, etc. in order to get a birth certificate, passport and NIB card. I don't understand why as a Christian woman, she is exempted. I know the constitution makes no provisions for that. Please explain this condition and the 2 years and under provisions in our fly-by-night constitution.
judes 9 years, 6 months ago
The new policy is set to be release after summer break for the new school term .. The students permits and the belonger permits ...i support it 100% .. Students will no longer be statless ...its a gateway for graduation vocations and better self confidents and pride..
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