Parliament to Debate Immigration and Passport (Amendment) Bill, 2026 as Government Prepares for National Amnesty Programme

The Government of Antigua and Barbuda has announced that Parliament will convene within the next two weeks to debate and pass the Immigration and Passport (Amendment) Bill, 2026, clearing the way for the launch of a national immigration amnesty programme.

The proposed amendments to the Immigration and Passport Act, 2014 are expected to be reviewed at next week’s Cabinet meeting before being tabled in Parliament. Officials say the changes are intended to establish a clear legislative framework for granting amnesty to eligible individuals residing in Antigua and Barbuda without regularized immigration status.

According to the Government, the programme will target persons who lawfully entered the country but have lived as undocumented immigrants for four years or more. These individuals would be eligible to apply for amnesty during a proposed three-month window, expected to run from April 1, 2026 to June 30, 2026.

The amendments will also address cases involving individuals who narrowly miss qualifying for citizenship due to limited lapses in lawful residency, offering a pathway for their status to be regularized.

However, the proposed legislation sets out strict conditions of ineligibility. Individuals deemed to pose a threat to national security or public safety will not qualify. Persons who provide false or misleading information in their applications, as well as those subject to active deportation orders or international arrest warrants, will also be excluded from the programme.

Cabinet has described the initiative as a structured and responsible measure aimed at strengthening immigration compliance and improving national security oversight. Officials maintain that the programme is not a blanket pardon but a carefully managed process designed to bring long-standing residents into legal conformity with the State’s immigration laws.

The Government has further framed the amnesty as part of a broader modernization effort within the country’s immigration system. Authorities say the move will enhance record-keeping, improve administrative efficiency, and ensure that all residents are properly documented under Antigua and Barbuda’s legal framework.

If approved, the amnesty programme is expected to commence shortly after the Bill is passed, marking a significant development in the country’s immigration policy.