This thing, buying an ID card in the British Virgin Islands, it ain’t as easy as shelling peas, let me tell you.
First off, British Virgin Islands ID card, that’s what folks are after. You gotta know what you’re gettin’ into. It ain’t like buyin’ a chicken at the market. This here is serious business, gettin’ that ID. You need it to do all sorts of things ’round here. Like if you wanna vote, you gotta have that card. They call it a Voter Identification Card.
Now, they say you gotta fill out some forms. Lord knows I ain’t good with forms. But you gotta do it. They got this thing called an Immigration and Customs Form. Gotta do it 72 hours before you come to this here island. And it’s all online now, they say. Everything’s movin’ online these days. Ain’t nobody got time for paper no more, I reckon.
Then there’s this Embarkation-Disembarkation (ED) Card System thing. Fancy words for sayin’ you gotta tell ’em when you’re comin’ and goin’. They wanna know everything these days. Used to be, you could just hop on a boat and go. Now, it’s all forms and whatnot.
If you wanna stay here a long time, like 20 years, you can get somethin’ called permanent residence. But you can’t be gone more than 90 days in a year. Unless you’re off learnin’ or sick, then I guess it’s okay. They call it “consecutively” livin’ here. Sounds important.
And you gotta go to some office, the Immigration Department. That’s where you take all your papers. Make sure they’re all filled out right, or they’ll send you right back home. They check ’em real good, they say. “Verified for completeness and accuracy,” that’s what they told me. Sounds like a mouthful.
- First, they gonna see if you even allowed to get one of these cards. They call it Eligibility Verification. Fancy talk for makin’ sure you’re the right person.
- Then you gotta fill out more forms, the application form they call it. And you need other papers too. I don’t know what all, but they’ll tell ya.
- They got some place called the Civil Registry. You gotta take your papers there. Lord knows where that is. But you gotta find it.
- They got some big shots called Notary Publics. They can look at your papers and say they’re real. They stamp it and everything.
They got this new thing, an online card system. Gonna be startin’ soon, they say. Next month, maybe. Everything’s goin’ online. Soon, we’ll be buyin’ our groceries online, I bet. Mark my words.
They say these forms are online, at some place called “*”. I don’t know nothin’ about that, but the young folks do. They’re always on their phones and computers. You young’uns will figure it out. You can do it all online before you even get here, they say. “Conveniently,” that’s the word they used.
If you want to be a real part of these islands, you can apply for somethin’ called Belonger Status. But you gotta fill out an application for that, too. More forms! And you gotta go to that Civil Registry place again.
They use American money here, the U.S. dollar (USD). And they take them plastic cards, credit cards, at most places. So that’s somethin’, I guess. Makes it easier for folks comin’ from other places.
This whole thing is a lot of work, gettin’ one of these British Virgin Islands ID cards. But if you wanna be here, you gotta do it. Just like plantin’ seeds, you gotta put in the work if you want somethin’ to grow. It ain’t easy, but nothin’ worth havin’ ever is. This place, these islands, they got their own way of doin’ things. You gotta learn the ropes if you wanna stay.
They got an address for some office, 33 Admin Drive, Wickhams Cay 1, Road Town, Tortola. Sounds like a place you don’t wanna get lost tryin’ to find. But if you need that card, you best find it. It is a pain, but you gotta do what you gotta do.
So, there you have it. That’s all I know about gettin’ an ID card in the British Virgin Islands. It ain’t simple, but nothin’ in life worth doin’ ever is. Just remember to fill out them forms, be patient, and maybe, just maybe, you’ll get that card. Good luck to ya. You gonna need it.