A new, fit-for-purpose building to house the Ministry of Immigrations’ Border Force and customer service unit, was on Thursday (January 25) unveiled in Bottle Creek, North Caicos.
Declaring the new location open, Minister of Immigration and Border Services, Hon Arlington Musgrove noted that it was a long time getting to this point. He said the event is an unfolding of his vision for the people of North and Middle Caicos, and as their representative, he is proud to have brought it to them.
The new building is intended to afford residents enhanced access to the ministry and advanced government service on the twin islands.
The opening of the office is an extension of the government’s integration of the Customs Department, Immigration Department, and Work Permit Unit into one intelligence-led-Border Force.
The opening of the office in the Twin Islands also signals the start of phase two of the transformation to a Border Force.
Phase one was launched in October 2023, and saw the implementation of the Border Force, while phase two will be – among other things – the opening of inland units so as to further enhance TCI’s border security.
As this transition progresses, the inland element of the Border Force will be brought to life, delivering all customs and immigration enforcement, alongside the establishment of one combined services function.
The new function will strive for an innovative approach to customer service, bringing the consideration and delivery of all applications in one place to allow the government to monitor response times and more efficiently meet demands.
Later in 2024, Border Force plans to introduce digital borders, including automation for low-risk travellers, biometrics to drive security and, for the first time, one end-to-end system containing the details of all known non-citizens in the Islands.
The Customs Department, Immigration Department, and work permit unit will gradually transition to the Border Force over the next few months, aiming to launch all units within the Border Force in April 2024.
