Open Door Consultancy: New Residency
Millionaire Penguins: How to Join the Huddle (Coming Soon)
I’ve previously wrote an article about the relatively unheard of Falkland Islands and the potential that place may hold.
How to be a citizen? (Falkland Islands Status)
The requirement for a qualified person to have been ordinarily resident in the Falkland Islands for the seven years immediately prior to their application remains, but there are amendments to the allowed absences in that period. These allow someone to be automatically regarded as having been ordinarily resident. The new allowed absences will be no more than 630 days aggregate in the seven-year period, no more than 90 days aggregate in any one of those 7 years, and the applicant must have been physically present in the Falkland Islands for the whole of the first 180 days of the first of the seven years.
Pretty strict requirements… you must really dedicate to setting up shop there & staying there year in-year out. If that seems too strict, there is always:
Permanent Residence Permit (PRP)
This permit allows permanent residence in the Falkland Islands, free from immigration restrictions. It requires prospective applicants meet essential criteria and achieve sufficient points through a points-based assessment.
The essential criteria include:
- residency in the Falkland Islands for a minimum of 3 years for the applicant and any dependents included in the application
- criminal record checks for the previous 5 years to demonstrate good character
- sufficiently good command of the English language
- satisfactory accommodation evidenced
- health assessments for applicants and all dependents to ensure they are not or not likely to become a substantial charge on public funds because of their healthcare needs
- educational assessments for all dependents under 16 years to ensure they are not or not likely to become a substantial charge on public funds because of their educational needs
The points-based assessment:
The points system awards points for a varied range of factors including, but not limited to – employment, income, work experience, educational and professional qualifications, assets, age, and community engagement.
Normal Permits
For the most part anyone not a permanent resident is required to hold a permit to be able to visit, work or live in the Falklands. It’s quite limited on who can go, despite it’s far-distance from the world!
The main permit categories are:
Visitor permit:
visitor permit is normally issued as a stamp in the passport on arrival in the Falkland Islands, applications are also normally completed on arrival. One month from the date of issue is the maximum validity. This permit can be issued by an Immigration Officer without referral, permit durations longer than one month require referral to a Senior Officer.
It is recommended that visitors who wish to stay for longer periods apply for a visitor permit in advance. An application in advance will allow a validity of up to 6 months to be applied for. The maximum duration a visitor permit can be issued or extended to, taking into account any previously issued visitor permits, is nine months in a twelve month period.
Visitor permit holders are not permitted to take employment
The requirements that need to be met by the traveller in order to obtain a visitor permit include the following –
- Proof of onward travel arrangements (i.e. return flight ticket) or sufficient funds to purchase one.
- Proof of pre-booked accommodation in the Islands.
- Proof of sufficient funds for the duration of the intended stay.
- Adequate medical insurance for the duration of the intended stay to cover aero-medical evacuation costs to a minimum value of USD 2,000,000 equivalent.
Business Visitors
Employment is prohibited on a visitor permit, however under the Immigration Ordinance there are certain business activities that are permitted, details are in Section 17C of the Immigration Ordinance 1999, examples include but are not limited to – visiting medical consultants, legal practitioners, or those undertaking inspection, repair, maintenance, servicing, or installation of infrastructure, ships, aircraft, vehicles, apparatus or other equipment. This provision is limited to a period or periods aggregating three months in any consecutive period of twelve months.
Work Permit
Work permits must be applied for from outside of the Falkland Islands. A work permit is ordinarily valid for the length of the individual’s contract and is job and employer specific. The period of validity of a work permit may be extended but must not exceed four years in total (but this is still long enough for permanent residency).
| Requirements by Applicant | Requirements by Employer |
| -Satisfactory completion of the application form. -Proof of suitable accommodation arrangements in place. -Satisfactory criminal record checks. -Satisfactory medical examination for new applicants or those existing permit holders who have not had a medical in the last 5 years (Medical & Dental). | -The employment vacancy to have been advertised sufficiently well in the Falkland Islands (in any case for at least 7 days). -To satisfy the Customs & Immigration Service that there are no ‘Falkland Islands Status holders’ or ‘Falkland Islands Permanent Residence Permit holders’ suitable and available to fill such vacancy. -Be prepared and to signify sponsorship and responsibility for full repatriation costs of the individual (and any dependants named in the application if agreed). |
The application does not need apply from outside of the island if the applicant:
- Holds or within the preceding three months held a work permit, accompanying dependent permit, or dependent permit.
- Is lawfully resident in the Falkland Islands by virtue of a permit granted to another person or was previously exempt from holding a permit.
Dependent permit: Dependents of people with a Permanent Residence Permit or Falkland Islands Status (permanent residents) will require a dependent permit and will be able to undertake employment, in any role, without the need for a separate work permit. The dependent permit is aimed primarily at the partners and children of permanent residents
Volunteer permit: Maximum validity is 12 months, and the activities are unpaid. Applicants must be sponsored by a sponsoring organisation, this organisation must be a member of the Registered Employer Scheme (RES).
*Nuance* For those who secure work permits, accompanying dependent permits, dependent permits, and volunteer permits – a visa does not need to also be applied for. Visas must ordinarily be secured in advance of arrival
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