The UK's Home Office has announced the imposition of visa restrictions on nationals from Dominica, Honduras, Namibia, Timor-Leste, and Vanuatu. Home Secretary Suella Braverman stated that the decision comes after evidence of abuse in Dominica's and Vanuatu's citizenship by investment programs (CPIs), including granting citizenship to individuals posing risks to the UK.
The changes will take immediate effect, with a four-week grace period for travelers who have already purchased flights. This departure from the usual 21-day scrutiny period was deemed necessary to safeguard the national immigration system from a potential surge in travelers before the new visa regime comes into force.
In recent developments, Dominica has attempted to address the situation by revoking citizenships granted to individuals who concealed "material facts" on their CIP applications, including previous UK visa denials.
Caribbean countries engaged in CIPs are now reviewing applications for similar concealment, following discussions on "6 CIPs Principles" that were reported by media outlets and trustworthy sources but not officially announced. St Kitts and Nevis however have already implemented these principles.
