SI, AUSTRALIA AND PNG WORK TOGETHER ON NEW VISA SYSTEM

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Immigration officers from Solomon Islands, Australia and Papua New Guinea (PNG) gathered in Honiara to advance the next phase of the new Solomon Islands Border Management System (BMS) announced by Australian Deputy Prime Minister the Hon Richard Marles MP, during his visit to Honiara in May 2024.

The teams from Solomon Islands, Australia and PNG came together to support development and training of a new visa system, which will be implemented as part of the BMS project.

The new visa program will be a key part of boosting revenue and ensuring Solomon Islanders are kept safe and secure by their border officers.

It will see a redesign of Solomon Islands’ visa regulations to better allow the country to harness the prosperity and economic activity of people moving across its border, while ensuring border security is maintained.

Australia’s High Commissioner to Solomon Islands, His Excellency Rod Hilton, said he was pleased to see the project progressing.

“Australia is proud to be the primary border security partner in Solomon Islands, and to be working with PNG to implement this important project,” High Commissioner Hilton said.

“It demonstrates the power of our three countries working together to build prosperity and security in the Pacific.”

In addition to the work undertaken on the new visa system, PNG and Australian representatives delivered training to Solomon Islands Immigration Division officials on key topics relevant to the implementation of the new BMS, including establishment of new border management policies and procedures, and criteria for visa processing.