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The UK Government has announced today that with immediate effect, all nationals of Trinidad and Tobago will need a visa before travelling to the UK, including on short visits.

The decision to introduce a visa requirement has been taken due to a significant increase in the number of Trinidad and Tobago nationals coming to the UK as visitors only to claim asylum on arrival, constituting a misuse of the immigration system.

In response, CARICOM and Foreign Affairs Minister Dr. Amery Browne said: "This move is within their rights as a sovereign nation, but we do not see it as a proportionate response to what UK authorities conveyed to us, which was their observation that a relatively small number of T&T nationals were misusing the UK immigration system by being processed for an ETA in the normal existing process and then suddenly applying for asylum after arrival."