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OECS Free Movement - Indefinite Stay

Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesFree movement

Explore the five recorded questions, answers and sources for this pathway.

Official link

Explore pathways in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Read the five questions ↓

Which citizenship, status or regional agreement creates the person's right to move/reside?

Citizens of the seven OECS Protocol Member States, including Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, are within the ECEU free-movement regime and may live indefinitely in another Protocol Member State with an indefinite-stay stamp on arrival.

See recorded sources
  • OECS, Free Movement of Persons Regime in the Eastern Caribbean
    The Free Movement of Persons Regime in the Eastern Caribbean is limited to the Eastern Caribbean Economic Union (ECEU) area. The ECEU was established on June 18th, 2010, through the signing of the Revised Treaty of Basseterre (RTB). It constitutes a single financial and economic space within which all factors of production including goods, services, capital, enterprises and people are able to move freely throughout the ECEU area which comprises seven (7) Protocol Member States:

Under which circumstances can the person reside: worker, self-employed, student, jobseeker, self-funded person or another recognised basis?

The residence basis is citizenship of an OECS Protocol Member State; qualifying spouses and dependants are also covered for indefinite stay in a host Protocol Member State.

See recorded sources
  • OECS, Free Movement of Persons Regime in the Eastern Caribbean
    Indefinite Stay: Citizens of Protocol Member States and their family members (spouse and dependents) can live in any Protocol Member State indefinitely receiving an indefinite stay stamp upon arrival at the immigration desks (OECS Free Movement Indefinite Stay Stamp)

What entry, registration or residence-document formalities remain?

A citizen travels with a valid government-issued ID and receives the OECS Free Movement Indefinite Stay Stamp at the immigration desk on arrival.

See recorded sources

Which non-member-country family members can accompany or join, and what broad rights do they receive?

Citizens of Protocol Member States and their third-country spouses can work in a Protocol Member State without a work permit; spouses and dependants also receive stated contingent rights in employment, education, healthcare and social protection.

See recorded sources

When do permanent/long-term rights arise and what continuity, absence or retention conditions matter?

Citizens of Protocol Member States and their family members (spouse and dependants) can live in any Protocol Member State indefinitely, receiving the OECS Free Movement Indefinite Stay Stamp on arrival. They also have equal access to rights in employment, education, healthcare and social protection in the host Protocol Member State when they move between Member States to reside and work. The official page does not state that this is a separate permanent-residence status or a citizenship route, or what continuity, absence or retention conditions apply.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The official page does not state that this is a separate permanent-residence status or a citizenship route, or what continuity, absence or retention conditions apply.
  • https://oecs.int/en/free-movement-of-persons-in-the-eastern-caribbean
    Indefinite Stay: Citizens of Protocol Member States and their family members (spouse and dependents) can live in any Protocol Member State indefinitely receiving an indefinite stay stamp upon arrival at the immigration desks (OECS Free Movement Indefinite Stay Stamp)
  • https://oecs.int/en/free-movement-of-persons-in-the-eastern-caribbean
    Citizens of Protocol Member States and their spouse and dependent(s) (including those of a third-country nationality) have equal access to numerous rights and freedoms with respect to employment, education, healthcare, and social protection within the host Protocol Member State when they move between Member States to reside and work.

These are the answers currently recorded in the catalogue. A missing or partial answer is not an eligibility decision.

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