V'zuelans start receiving registration cards

VENEZUELANS, who applied for amnesty during last month's application process have begun receiving their registration cards at the Immigration Division Office, Richmond St, Port of Spain – the main collection point – on Friday.

National security minister Stuart Young and chief immigration officer Charmaine Gandhi-Andrews, speaking with the media prior to the initial distribution, said they were pleased to start the process after weeks of extensive security background checks on the 16,523 Venezuelans who filed for amnesty during the two-week application process, in Port of Spain, San Fernando and Scarborough, which ended on June 14.

Young said, "We went through a registration process that was quite a well-run, efficient and a properly monitored registration.

"After going through the physical registration process...we would have (had) a due diligence exercise. Part of this due diligence was us checking to make sure that the information provided in the forms is accurate."

He added that the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol), Venezuelan authorities and other intelligence agencies were consulted when necessary.

The six-month amnesty will grant Venezuelans the right to live and work in TT. They can apply for an extension when their cards expire once they satisfy the applicable criteria.