Starting in September, passengers will be able to submit their embarkation details online before entering Montserrat. According to a government release, the Immigration Department under the portfolio of the Office of the Premier will be implementing automated services through an Online Immigration and Customs Portal at the John A. Osborne Airport and at Port Little Bay.
This initiative is led by the Montserrat Immigration and Customs Departments and is expected to improve operational efficiency and reduce passenger processing times.
The Office of the Premier explained that there are two key components of the implementation of automation processes:
1. The introduction of an online service that will allow arriving passengers to Montserrat to provide their Embarkation/Disembarkation information up to 72 hours prior to arrival and is expected to take effect on September 1, 2024.
2. The installation of Kiosk Machines at ports of entry to complement the introduction of the online forms. These kiosks are expected to be available by January 2025. Arriving passengers who were unable to complete the online form can do so using these machines on arrival.
A series of awareness programmes will be done to provide the public with information on how to interface with the system.
The Online ED Form was developed by the CARICOM IMPACS team and supported by local technicians at the Department for Information Technology and e-Government Services (DITES) in the Ministry of Communications and Digital Transformation. These automated services are enhanced by passport scanners under the Overseas Territories Regional Crime Intelligence System (OTRICS) upgrade, currently being implemented.
Several organisations to include FCDO, CARICOM IMPACS, and the OECS Commission through the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) Regional Integration through Growth Harmonization and Technology (RIGHT) project have made this initiative possible.
