Photo Caption: Honourable Mark Brantley
Basseterre, St. Kitts – The St. Kitts and Nevis Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs’ commitment to visa-free travel for St. Kitts and Nevis citizens got another boost on Friday when the Government of the Maldives confirmed that citizens of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis will no longer have to apply for visas before entering the Maldives. Instead, gratis visas will be granted upon arrival for 30 days. However, if that citizen intends to stay beyond 30 consecutive days, he or she would have to apply for another 30-day visa which can be done either online or via an agent.
Last year, Foreign Minister Brantley announced his commitment to improving the international power-ranking of the St. Kitts and Nevis passport to make it easier for our all Kittitians and Nevisians to travel and do business internationally with minimum hassle. “In this globalised interconnected world, I firmly believe that it is incumbent on us as Government, to create an enabling environment where business can thrive, where families can travel for leisure with relative ease and where we strengthen those platforms that facilitate people-to -people exchanges and greater mobility of ideas, people and services”, declared Minister Brantley.
In addition, to his personal efforts and that of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Minister Brantley has tasked the overseas missions with realising this important objective. Consequently, like its counterparts, the High Commission in London has been actively pursuing and negotiating with several countries, many of them Commonwealth member states, like the Seychelles and the Maldives, to build a constituency of support for the initiative. Earlier this year, the Seychelles also confirmed that like Maldives, citizens of St. Kitts and Nevis do not require visas to enter that country once they are in possession of a valid passport, confirmed onward ticket and resources to meet their stay.
While attending the United Nations General Assembly 71st Regular Session which begins this week in New York; Foreign Minister Brantley is expected to sign two new agreements negotiated by the London High Commission.
21 September 2016.
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