Saint Lucia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Alva Baptiste says the United Kingdom’s decision to impose visa requirements on Saint Lucians may not be permanent, revealing that the two countries remain in dialogue over the controversial measure.
Baptiste disclosed that he held discussions with a UK minister around the time the visa decision was imposed while attending a Commonwealth Foreign Ministers meeting. He declined to identify the minister or reveal specific details of their conversation. “We had a very interesting discourse regarding it. So, Saint Lucia and the United Kingdom have been in constant dialogue. But you see this government believes in quiet diplomacy. Diplomacy must not be conducted in an atmosphere of ‘wey lay lay.’”
Baptiste said the government has been working behind the scenes to address the visa requirement and urged Saint Lucians to avoid turning the issue into a partisan political battle, particularly on social media. “One thing I can say to you, as Saint Lucians, even if you have a party in office and you belong to the opposing party, I don’t think it should become a partisan situation because they are reading our comments and we must be very careful that we are not trying to justify the imposition of visa facilities.”
The Foreign Affairs Minister pointed to the longstanding relationship between Saint Lucia and the UK, noting that Saint Lucians have served in the British military while many of the island’s nurses, teachers and other nationals continue to live and work there. He also acknowledged the impact of the visa requirement on students travelling to the UK for graduation and Saint Lucians with relatives there.
Despite those challenges, Baptiste expressed confidence that the situation could be addressed “in the fullness of time,” saying the government is working to reverse measures it considers undesirable to the relationship between the two countries. We have an economic partnership agreement, a trade agreement between Saint Lucia and the UK. One of the fundamental aspects of implementing that agreement is the free movement of our people. If there are impediments, they need to address them.”
Baptiste said he does not believe the visa requirement represents the UK’s final position, adding that the Saint Lucian Government will continue engaging British authorities and subjecting the matter to “systematic scrutiny” in hopes of restoring more favourable travel arrangements.
The UK ended visa-free travel for Saint Lucian citizens on March 5, 2026, requiring nationals to obtain a visa before travelling to Britain.
British authorities cited a sharp increase in asylum claims from Saint Lucian nationals, along with security concerns associated with Saint Lucia’s Citizenship by Investment Programme.
Under the measures, Saint Lucians require a standard visitor visa to enter the UK and an airside transit visa when passing through UK airports. A temporary transition period remained in place until April 16 for eligible travellers with existing Electronic Travel Authorisations and pre-booked travel.
