By Kisean Joseph
The Immigration Department is revolutionising its operations through digital transformation and expanded services, while simultaneously addressing complex border security challenges from emerging migration patterns.
Chief Immigration Officer Katrina Yearwood revealed that the department has launched a new electronic arrival system, eliminating the need for paper-based immigration forms that have long been a source of delays at ports of entry.
“Any passenger entering Antigua and Barbuda will no longer need to fill out that tedious long form,” Yearwood said. “Everything now is electronic, so, we’re coming away from paper, which is good for the environment, but it’s also good for passengers because it is tedious to be filling out a form which is in triplicate.”
The new system, accessible through the “Arrive Antigua” platform, will feature QR codes and dedicated Wi-Fi access at the airport to facilitate the electronic immigration process. This initiative marks a significant step toward streamlining passenger processing, particularly during peak arrival times when multiple international flights arrive simultaneously.
The department has also established a permanent presence in Barbuda, responding to increased private jet arrivals and maritime traffic. “We have a team of immigration officers that go over there to process those that are coming over on the private jet — which we are seeing an increase in,” Yearwood said, adding that the expansion has already garnered positive feedback, particularly from private flight passengers processed since early December.
However, amid these improvements, the department faces sophisticated challenges in border security, and the Chief Immigration Officer highlighted a concerning trend involving travellers from Eastern European countries attempting to use Antigua as a transit point.
“We have some trends that we were able to see in 2024, stemming from the eastern European countries,” she noted. “They would board in a group or like a proceeding to be like a family group, and they would traverse through Barbados without having the necessary documentation, ie, a visa to enter Antigua.”
These situations often result in detention and create logistical challenges for the department. “When they’re here in Antigua and they’re not landed properly, we have to hold them in our detention unit. Immigration would have to hold them, feed them,” Yearwood explained.
The department has also encountered instances of fraudulent documentation, including fake e-visas that appear authentic at first glance. In response, it is strengthening the e-visa system and enhancing cooperation with regional partners.
Looking ahead, the department plans to improve public communication and accessibility of immigration information. Yearwood announced plans for a comprehensive online resource that will provide clear guidance on various immigration procedures.
“What we want to do is to get onboard with having clear information, whether it be in English or in different languages that is readily available for members of the public,” she said. “We are collaborating with the ministry of information to get this initiative up and running.”
The department has also made a direct appeal to undocumented individuals in Antigua and Barbuda, encouraging them to regularize their status. “Those who are not here, undocumented, are not doing it justice to themselves,” Yearwood said. She noted that once individuals obtain residency status, it “negates the need for a work permit,” providing a clear incentive for regularisation.
Yearwood stressed that while service is a priority, the department’s mandate remains twofold: to serve and protect. “This is why a lot of training initiatives have to be done, because criminals now are becoming very advanced in how they’re able to avoid passport control,” she explained.
The department continues to invest in state-of-the-art equipment and regular training for officers, particularly in detecting fraudulent documentation.
“Some of these passports are actually authentically made, but the way in which they’re done I might have a birth certificate, but it’s not my birth certificate. So, I’ve utilised that information to kind of get through to get a passport of a country and then come to Antigua,” Yearwood said.