Visitors Entry and Residency

Permit

A minimum of formality is required for persons wishing to make short visits as tourists or to investigate investment opportunities. All that is required is a valid passport, a return ticket and sufficient means at their disposal to support themselves. The length of stay is that period as granted by the Department of Immigration.

Permit of Economic Residence

An applicant is eligible for the grant of a permit of economic residence if he/she satisfies the Governor in Council of hi/her intention to make a commercial investment in Montserrat and maintains a property investment or a deposit at a commercial bank or holds Montserrat government Securities to the value of at least the equivalent of EC$400,000.

Permanent Residency Permit

To become a permanent resident, an applicant must be in accordance with section 18(a) of the Immigration and Passport Act Chapter 137, and must satisfy the following conditions:

• Produce proof of financial status to show that they will not become a charge on the public funds of the colony.

• Produce a medical certificate issued by a medical practitioner verifying that the applicant has no contagious or infectious diseases which would make it unwise or dangerous for them to remain permanently in Montserrat.

• Has not been classified as an undesirable person due to their business or other activities; is not a prohibited immigrant; is of good character.

• Provide at least three references of which not more than one can be from a local resident and A bank, while one should come from a Police department in the form of a certificate of behavior over the past five years.

The Governor in Council has the right to issue a permit for permanent residency on such conditions as he may see fit.

Usually a person is required to reside on the Island of at least five years.

Currency

The official currency is the Eastern Caribbean dollar (EC$), divisible into 100 cents. The rate of exchange is fixed at US$1 = EC$2.7.               

International time 

Montserrat is four hours behind Greenwhich Mean Time (GMT). Daylight saving time is not observed.

Business hours

Government offices    Monday-Friday        8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Business hours          Monday-Friday         8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

                                    Saturday                  8:00 a.m. -  1:00 p.m.

Banks-                        Monday-Thursday     8:00 a.m. -  2:00 p.m.

                                   Friday                         8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

                                   Saturday                      closed

Statutory holidays

The statutory holidays for 2000 are as follows:

          New Year's Day                      January 1

          St. Patrick’s Day                     March 17

          Good Friday                           April 21

          Easter Monday                       April 24

          Labor Day                              May 1

          Whit Monday                          June 12

          August Monday                       August 7

         Christmas Day                         December 25

          Boxing Day                             December 26

          Festival day                            December 31* 

* To be proclaimed annually

Weights and measures

The metric system is gradually replacing the British imperial system.

Dates and numbers                                                                             

Dates are usually written in the order day/month/year, e.g., 10th March 2000 or 10/3/2000.

Commas denote thousands and periods denote fractions in the monetary unit, e.g., EC$1,000.00.