Caption: Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs Sean Sobers

By Alicia Chamley

THE previous People’s National Movement (PNM) administration failed to implement the necessary legislation needed to keep travel between Trinidad and Tobago and the United Kingdom visa-free.

This was revealed on Thursday night by Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs Sean Sobers at the post-cabinet press conference held at the Red House, Port of Spain.

Sobers said the previous administration had received reports from the UK High Commission and a local security firm of an inordinately high number of T&T nationals seeking asylum in the UK, approximately 400 persons per year.

He said that information was given to the previous government last year, along with measures that needed to be taken by March of this year to keep travel to the UK visa-free.

Sober said, “What we can glean is essentially the previous administration; no one prior to us coming into office did anything about it.”

He explained one of the measures requested was a piece of legislation that would allow for advance passenger information to be sent to the UK before their arrival

Sobers said, “That was never done. And based upon the lackadaisical or in ineffective or nonchalant or no approach to deal with that situation and not providing a solution we fell into errant within the month of March and they imposed the UK visa upon us.”

He said since assuming office his ministry has held several discussions with the UK High Commission as to how to chart a course for a solution. Adding, that next Friday they had secured a virtual meeting with the UK Home Office.

Questioned as to whether these meetings would result in the return of visa free travel to the UK, Sobers said, “I can’t say that, what I can say is that it will assist us in terms of getting out of the pool  and we are trying our best to listen to what they have to say and move with a alacrity to adopt the things they have asked us to, which did not take place previously  and that is why we are in this position.”

Visa-free travel to the UK for citizens of T&T was revoked on March 12 2025.

The UK High Commission explained this decision was made after an influx of T&T citizens travelling to the UK as tourists and then claiming asylum for fear of being targeted by crime. It was also alleged that gang members and other criminal entities were using the visa free travel to move members into the UK under asylum claims.

Speaking during the announcement of the revocation of free travel to the UK, British High Commissioner to Trinidad and Tobago, Jon Dean, said, “The changes announced today align Trinidad and Tobago with many other visa national countries with which the UK shares close and friendly ties. We understand that travel is important for families, businesses, and cultural connections. The introduction of visitor visas is designed to support safe and secure travel while ensuring the UK’s borders remain protected.”