Photo Caption: Prime Minister Keith Mitchell, (center) and US Ambassador, to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Linda Taglialatela, (left)
By: T. Chapman
US Ambassador to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Linda Taglialatela, announced new information as it relates to Grenadian’s and renewal of American Visas at a press conference in Grenada earlier this morning at the Cabinet Room, Ministerial Complex.
The United States Ambassador announced that there has been a wavier for Grenadians, as it relates to renewal of Visa’s.
According to the information disseminated, Grenada passport holders may qualify for a visa renewal interview waiver if their previous visa expired within the past 12 months and they are applying for the same visa category as their previous visa.
However, “the applicant must be physically present in Grenada or within the consular district of the US Embassy in Bridgetown to avail themselves of this option.” In addition, “the previous US visa must be in the applicant’s possession, and the applicant must have submitted a ten-fingerprint scan in conjunction with the previous visa application.”
Students who wish to renew their visas, and who satisfy the requirements may qualify for interview waiver if they are applying to continue attendance at the same institution, or will continue the same major course of study at a different institution.
Likewise, applicants seeking to renew work-related visas who are returning to work for the same employer/company as annotated on the previous visa may also qualify while applicants under the age of 14 and over 79 will continue to qualify for interview waiver in most visa classifications.
The US Embassy stressed that eligibility for interview waiver doesn’t automatically entitle applicants to a waiver of the interview requirement.
Grenada is the second country to be granted the interview waiver. Barbados was announced as the first back in August.
Once those requirements are met, the process can be done on-line and the Passport sent to Barbados via courier service.
Prime Minister Mitchell in giving brief remarks said, “the wavier is good news for all Grenadians based on the present cost of air travel.”
The Foreign Affairs Minister Hon. Peter David, also spoke on the matter saying it is indeed welcoming news.
Click for Video of Press Conference
