Register or Face Deportation
The Government of Trinidad and Tobago is set to launch a mandatory registration drive for all undocumented migrants starting next Friday. Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander announced the implementation of the new Migration Registration Framework, a joint initiative between the Ministry of Homeland Security and the Ministry of Defence.
This registration applies to all undocumented migrants within the country, regardless of nationality. The process will commence with an online application at migrantregistration.gov.tt. Following the digital submission, applicants will be scheduled for an in-person interview to obtain their Migration Registration Framework card. Officials have indicated that the in-person phase is expected to begin after the Carnival season.
To facilitate the exercise, several government facilities have been designated as processing centres. These include the Larry Gomes Stadium in Arima, the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva, the Hasley Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, and the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Tobago.
A fee of $700TT per person will be charged for registration, though children are exempt from this cost. The entire programme is projected to cost the state $1 million. This figure represents a significant decrease from the $5 million spent during the 2019 registration exercise, a cost-saving attributed to the utilisation of existing government stadiums.
Minister Alexander stated that the transition to a partially digital system is designed to improve accountability and data accuracy. The framework offers a pathway for migrants to work legally in Trinidad and Tobago. However, the Minister issued a stern warning: undocumented migrants who fail to register and are subsequently discovered by authorities will face immediate deportation.
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