THE government is working towards a “digital solution” to an issue that has seen some Jersey residents with settled status face difficulties when travelling back to the Island, according to the Home Affairs Minister.
Senator Helen Miles said that she was “confident” the problem would be resolved before the end of next year.
She made the comments in response to a question from Deputy Tom Coles, who said that “many foreign nationals, either with settled status or rights to live and work in Jersey, still have issues with travelling back to the Island”.
The previous Home Affairs Minister, Senator Mary Le Hegarat, stated in April that she had written to the UK Home Office with concerns over some passengers with valid Jersey-issued status being wrongly denied travel by carriers when returning to the Common Travel Area after trips abroad.
She explained that Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man issue physical documents and that “some overseas airline staff may not understand these to be valid, as airlines now generally expect digital immigration records following the UK’s introduction of e-visas”.
Raising the subject during yesterday’s States sitting, Deputy Coles asked what actions the Home Affairs department was taking “to get Jersey more digitally recognised”.
Senator Miles responded: “The issue about Jersey residents with settled status is one of my top priorities and certainly a top priority amongst JCIS (Jersey Customs and Immigration Service).
“The issue has come about since the introduction of the carriers’ liability law. Jersey has always had that, but it’s been introduced globally, and we are seeing quite a lot of issues with our nationals at various different airports.”
The minister noted that the matter had been raised with the UK Home Office.
“The total solution to this is to adopt the e-visa scheme,” she continued.
“Appropriate funding has been made available for that to happen, not only for Jersey but also the other Crown Dependencies.”
Senator Miles added that she was “confident” that by the end of 2027 “we will have a digital solution to this” and the problem would “cease totally”.
“In the interim what I would say to people who have got settled status in Jersey, is please ensure that you have your passport.
“Your new passport numbers have been provided to customs, but also check in in person at the airport and receive a paper boarding card, and that way you will have no problem boarding the aircraft when you get to the gate.”
