V’zuelans: How do we renew TT registration?

Heidi Diquez, PRO of the NGO TTV Solidarity Network, is calling on Government to state clearly what are the conditions for Venezuelans who were registered last June to have their registration renewed.

Last year, 16,523 Venezuelans were registered and scheduled to receive registration cards, allowing them to live and work in TT for up to a year.

The process is set for review after six months and Diquez said there are many Venezuelans whose cards are about to expire, some as soon as this month.

She added, however, that Government has not outlined the criteria or process for renewal.

“Some (with registration cards) are afraid to go (to Immigration) because they don’t know if they will be deported or asked to leave.”

Diquez, in an interview with Newsday, asked whether the criteria included coming into the Immigration Division with a job letter or proof of an address in Trinidad. She also wondered what would happen to people who are not working as yet or received their registration cards.

“Everything is so secretive. We do not know how many are in that condition.”

On the people who have not received the registration cards, Diquez explained that the first set of people to get them were identified as Venezuelans because they had their documentation. She said some of those with no identification were saying they had been referred to the Venezuelan Embassy to get proof, but immigration officials were reporting that no one had been sent there.

“It is very worrying if you are sending somebody running away from Venezuela to the Venezuelan Embassy for validation of identification.”

A Venezuelan living in TT informed Newsday that immigration officials were reporting that they had no information about the renewal of the registration.

National Security Minister Stuart Young sent a brief message to Newsday when asked about the issue and the reports that Venezuelans were unable to get their registration cards.

He said, “The registration cards have been ready for sometime and Immigration has been distributing same, including some recent mass distribution drives. The Venezuelans have a responsibility to collect their cards or face the risk of being detained for not being in possession of evidence that they are permitted to be here legally.”

Newsday sent follow-up questions, and asked the total number of registration cards distributed, but received no response up to press time . Calls to Young’s cellphone went unanswered.

The TTV Solidarity Network was established in 2018 and consists of Venezuelan and TT citizens. Its main objective is to address the most critical needs of the Venezuelan refugees and migrants who have fled their home country because of the humanitarian crisis over the last five years.