Thousands of non-nationals living in Antigua and Barbuda with irregular immigration status now have an opportunity to regularise their stay as the government’s latest immigration amnesty officially gets underway.

The programme, which opened on July 1, will run until September 30, offering eligible individuals a chance to bring their immigration status into compliance under the Immigration and Passport (Amendment) Act, 2026.

The Immigration Department has released detailed guidelines outlining who qualifies and what is required to apply, stressing that the initiative is intended for people who have lived in Antigua and Barbuda for at least four years but have experienced lapses or irregularities in their immigration status during that period.

Applicants must submit a completed application form, a recent passport-sized photograph, and police certificates from every country in which they have resided over the past four years. They are also required to pay a non-refundable processing fee of EC$500 and a change of status fee of EC$150.

Applications are being accepted at Immigration Headquarters between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Officials say applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis through a numbered queue system.

To assist applicants, the department has established a dedicated amnesty information desk at Immigration Headquarters, where members of the public can receive guidance throughout the application process. Additional information is also available by telephone during regular business hours.

While encouraging eligible persons to apply, immigration officials cautioned that participation in the programme does not guarantee approval.

Each application will be reviewed individually in accordance with the Immigration and Passport (Amendment) Act, 2026, and other applicable immigration laws before a final decision is made.

The government has described the amnesty as a limited-time opportunity for qualifying individuals to regularise their status and is urging eligible residents not to wait until the final weeks before the September 30 deadline to submit their applications.