A typical CARIPASS. * Photo credit: impacsjrcc.org

ROSEAU, Dominica, CMC – Caribbean Community (CARICOM) citizens are likely to begin using a new travel card from July 1 this year after regional leaders signed the document allowing for its implementation during the intersessional summit that ended in Dominica late on Friday.

The CARICOM Travel Card (CARIPASS) Treaty will allow for passengers being electronically processed through immigration checkpoints in keeping with a growing trend in the international arena.

CARIPASS would entitle current holders of passports issued by the 15-member CARICOM grouping and legal residents, who are 16 years and over, to become part of a trusted traveler regime once they have been deemed eligible.

Under the system, CARIPASS holders would be expeditiously processed through specially designed self-service gates at airports and eventually seaports and could proceed directly to Baggage Arrival and Customs Halls.

The cards are alternative travel documents for regional travel and are valid for periods of one or three years at a cost to be determined according to international norms.

The travel card (CARIPASS) will be issued at national passport and immigration headquarters and is being designed to assist the frequent regional traveler in avoiding long immigration lines at the airport.

Executive Director of the CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS), Lynne Anne Williams, told reporters that the CARIPASS Treaty come into effect Friday with the signature of the leaders of six member states.

She said once the module legislation as proposed by the CARICOM Secretariat is accepted by their national parliaments “it is envisaged that the card would become operational by the beginning of July”.

She said that a marketing and promotional campaign will be launched within the next few weeks so as to give Caribbean nationals more information on the new initiative.

CARIPASS was one of the agenda items at the recently concluded Ninth meeting of the Council of Ministers of National Security (CONSLE) held in Antigua.

Besides CARIPASS, CONSLE referred to the regional government a number of issues relating to the upcoming International Cricket Council (ICC) World 20/20 competition to be held in the Caribbean in May.