Dominica plans to eliminate the immigration mandate while departing

Prime Minister of Dominica, Dr Roosevelt Skerrit, said that the government is planning to remove the mandate of passing immigration while departing from the country. In a press conference on Monday, he said the human resources could be better utilized somewhere else.

He stated that many countries, including the United States, United Kingdom and also some other islands in the region, have already put measures in place and removed the immigration process while travellers or citizens depart the country.

Prime Minister added that in Dominica, police officials are used as immigration officers, while other countries have dedicated officers. Prime Minister said that in this case, the resources can be utilized somewhere else.

“As part of making changes where immigration is concerned, we will also be removing the need for you to go through immigration when leaving Dominica. You will only be subjected to immigration when you are coming into Dominica, but when you leave, there will be no need for another line after you check into the airline,” said Prime Minister

As per Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, this process will help save time as people will no longer need to wait in queues to pass the immigration while leaving the country. However, he added that in case any suspicious person is found, the authorities can still question.

Prime Minister Skerrit also announced that now the embarkation and disembarkation forms are no longer required for nationals. He said the new changes will take effect from March 06, 2023 onwards. He said the new forms will be made available online from April 02, 2023 and can be filed electronically, providing a QR code that can be shown to authorities at the ports of entry.

The decision comes as Dominica is transitioning from an agriculture-based economy into a tourism-based economy. As the government is working towards improving its tourism product, new changes are coming ahead.

If there is no immigration process required when leaving Dominica, then it can certainly help save time for travellers.

The immigration process usually involves various formalities such as filling out forms, providing identification documents, waiting in lines, and having one’s passport checked by immigration officials.

All of these steps can take up a significant amount of time, especially if there are many travellers or if the immigration process is particularly busy.

By eliminating the immigration process when leaving Dominica, travellers can avoid these time-consuming formalities and proceed directly to their departure gates. It can save valuable time, especially for those who are on tight schedules or have connecting flights to catch. Notably, the removal of immigration upon leaving can also help reduce congestion at the airport leading to smoother and more efficient travel experiences for everyone involved.