UK slaps travel visa restrictions on St. Lucia, Nicaragua
The Straits Times
CASTRIES, March 5 - Britain has introduced a visa requirement for citizens of the small Caribbean island nation of St. Lucia and the Central American country of Nicaragua, as its government looks to tighten rules amid pressure from the populist Reform UK party. Read more at straitstimes.com.
CASTRIES, March 5 - Britain has introduced a visa requirement for citizens of the small Caribbean island nation of St. Lucia and the Central American country of Nicaragua, as its government looks to tighten rules amid pressure from the populist Reform UK party.
"Their visa-free entry has created a back-door into our country," Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said in a press conference on Thursday, without giving more details.
KEY DATA
* St. Lucia's government said it was informed in a letterdated a day earlier of the changes going into effect onThursday, which cited a "notable increase" of St. Luciansclaiming asylum. * St. Lucia, a former British colony, has a population ofabout 180,000. Last year, the World Bank estimated a netemigration of just 23 people. * Some 100,625 people claimed UK asylum last year, butmost applications were refused, Home Office data showed. * Pakistan, Eritrea and Iran led applications, but no datawas given for St. Lucia or Nicaragua, which did not make the top20.
WHAT'S NEXT
* St. Lucia's government said it was actively engaging withBritish government and would continue talks to "explore pathwaysfor maintaining strong mobility arrangements." * Authorities in Nicaragua, which had net emigration of8,731 people last year though many head for the U.S. orneighboring Costa Rica, did not immediately publish a comment onthe measure. * Previously, citizens from both nations needed a 16 poundElectronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to travel to the UK.Current ETA holders will have a six-week transition period.
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