Long lines of Venezuelans wait at immigration division

Two weeks before Venezuelans' extended work permits expire, hundreds of them went to the Immigration Division on Henry Street, Port of Spain, on Friday, seeking answers.

Since the middle of the year, some Venezuelans have been receiving calls from Immigration officials about the delivery of new stickers indicating the extension of their work permits until December 31.

Hundreds of others have reported in recent weeks they have not received a call.

On Thursday a text message, supposedly sent by Immigration officials to Venezuelan WhatsApp and Facebook TT groups, invited migrants to go to the division to pick up their stickers, whether or not they had received an official call.

Newsday understands this message was not authentic.

However, Venezuelans went to the Immigration Division on Friday from 7am, concerned about not receiving their renewals by year-end.

Maria Mendoza told Newsday she met all the requirements for the update, and has waited throughout 2022 for the call to come and get her sticker.

“I am worried because the TT government decreed in January the extension of work permits until December 31 and thousands of us still have not received the renewal sticker,” she said.

Mendoza does not know what will happen to her after January 1, 2023.

“It is part of our status renewal process, and not receiving it can cause confusion between the authorities (over) our legality here,” she said.

Initially 16,523 Venezuelans registered to opt for work permits in June 2019. Since then the government has extended these permits three times owing to the covid19 pandemic.

Most recently the TT authorities told about 13,300 Venezuelans to renew their documents. It is not known how many received them and how many of those registered remain in the country.

Abel Pérez said, “It is an illogical situation. The work-permit extension decree was announced at the beginning of this year and with two weeks to go until the deadline, thousands still do not have their stickers and others are just receiving the calls to receive them."

Perez said he lost his job at a casino two months ago for not having a sticker.

Newsday tried to reach the Chief Immigration Officer, but messages were not returned.

Those waiting said they would return to the Immigration Division on Monday morning to try to get their stickers.