Providenciales, 28 Oct 2015 – The Ministry of Border Control and Employment wishes to remind citizens of the Turks and Caicos Islands that while there is a requirement to submit application for a TCI passport in the normal way, locally, the actual printing of TCI passports has been transferred to the United Kingdom.
Given the implications that the new application process has for travelling at very short notice, all persons are encouraged to check the validity of their passports whether there are immediate plans to travel, or not. More importantly, the expiry dates on passports must be checked prior to purchasing airline tickets as there as strict guidelines governing the issuance of TCI passport stock.
The following do not meet the criteria to have an emergency temporary passport issued locally.
1. the discovery of a soon to be expired or already expired passport, after the purchase of an airline ticket,
2. a pre-planned business trip, vacation or doctor’s appointment overseas, and
3. accidental or intentional damage to a valid passport as a result of inattentiveness, for example spilling
liquids on a passport, washing a passport in a washing machine and defacing or tearing passport pages.
Emergency temporary passports may be issued locally under the following conditions.
1. When there is contact from the hospital regarding the transfer of a patient to another country and the patient concerned is not in possession of a valid travel document.
2. When there is urgent business travel by senior government officials and parliamentarians; and,
3. Any other travel that may be considered on compassionate grounds.
Non British Overseas Territory citizens are cautioned to be in possession of a valid travel document from their home country at all times as only British Overseas Territory Citizens of the Turks and Caicos Islands qualify for a TCI passport. In the event of an emergency, non-TCI nationals are advised to contact the nearest Embassy of their home country.
Additional information and forms may be found on the website www.gov.tc/passports
