Antigua and Barbuda Thursday introduced a new biometric immigration system which officials say is designed to make arrivals at the country’s two main airports faster and easier for returning citizens.
The ‘Welcome Home Antigua’ was given a soft-launched and will be operational at both the V.C. Bird International Airport in Antigua and the Burton-Nibbs International Airport in Barbuda. The programme is expected to be filly operational by October 15.
Under the new system, Antigua and Barbuda citizens will no longer be required to complete an Embarkation/Disembarkation form when entering the country. Instead, they will be required to download the Welcome Home Antigua mobile app on an Apple or Android device and enrol in the system.
Biometric technology will then scan and recognize the passenger’s face, allowing for a faster immigration process.
Chief Immigration Officer Katrina Yearwood said the initiative places the island among regional leaders in the use of biometric technology for immigration.
Foreign Affairs, Trade and Immigration Minister E.P. Chet Greene and Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Charles Fernandez were among the first to use the system after returning from overseas trips.
Greene described the initiative as another step in the country’s modernisation, while Fernandez stressed that technology should complement quality service provided by immigration and other airport personnel.