A three-month immigration amnesty programme aimed at allowing eligible long-term residents to regularise their immigration status went into effect on Wednesday.
The initiative, established under the Immigration and Passport (Amendment) Act, 2026, runs from July 1 to September 30 and is being administered by the Department of Immigration under the responsibility of Immigration Minister E.P. Chet Greene.
According to the government, the programme is open to people who have lived in Antigua and Barbuda for four years or more and who have experienced gaps or irregularities in their immigration status during that period.
Applicants are required to submit a passport-sized photograph, a completed amnesty application form, police certificates from every country or territory where they have resided during the past four years, a processing fee of EC$500 (US$185) and a change of status fee of EC$150 (US$55).
The Department of Immigration said applications will be accepted at Immigration Headquarters from Monday to Friday between 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm and will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis using a numbered queue system.
Officials said incomplete applications could delay processing or be rejected until all required documentation has been submitted.
The department also stressed that eligibility to apply under the amnesty does not automatically guarantee approval.
It said every application will be assessed on its individual merits in accordance with the provisions of the Immigration and Passport (Amendment) Act, 2026, as well as other applicable immigration laws and policies.
The government has encouraged all eligible persons to take advantage of the amnesty before it ends on September 30.
For general enquiries outside application hours, members of the public may visit the Amnesty Information Desk at Immigration Headquarters or contact the Department of Immigration during normal business hours.