Passports are available from Immigration Offices located at:
67, Frederick Street, Port of Spain
131, Coffee Street, San Fernando
Milford Road, Tobago
To obtain a passport, an applicant must be a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago. A citizen by birth must submit a completed application form, (Form "A" for adults and Form "B" for children under 16 years of age) along with a Birth Certificate, ID Card and two passport size photographs.
Persons who are citizens by descent: must submit evidence of the citizenship of their father or mother, and the marriage certificate of their parents if applicable.
Persons who are citizens by adoption, registration, or naturalisation must also submit certificates as the case may be.
Applicants whose first names or surnames are not on their birth certificates must produce an affidavit, sworn to, preferably by one of the parents.
Applicants who have changed their names must furnish a Deed Poll drawn up by an Attorney-at-law as evidence of the change in name. One of the photographs must be certified by a recommender who must be a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago and be included in one of the following groups:
Minister of Religion.
Managing Director, Director or Manager of Bank or Company.
Professional (University graduate).
Member of Parliament, Mayor, City or Regional Councillor.
Notary Public/Justice of the Peace/Commissioner of Affidavits.
Senior Public Servant (above Range 30).
Police Officer (rank of Corporal and above).
Member of Defence Force (Corporal/Leading Seaman and above rank).
Fire Sub-Officer (and above rank).
Prison Cadet Officer (and above rank).
Graduate Teacher, School Principal, Vice-Principal, Lecturer.
Passports issued to adults are valid for ten (10) years unless otherwise restricted. Those issued to children under 16 years of age are valid for five (5) years.
All information given should be as accurate as possible. Names should be spelt exactly as they were on the original certificates and dates should be exact. Mistakes in names, addresses and dates can cause delays in obtaining duplicates. Be sure to double-check the information on the application form before handing it in.
It is an offence to give false information in an application to obtain a passport.
Certificates of good Character are issued by the Criminal Investigation Department/Criminal Record Office of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service to verify that the applicant has no previous convictions against him/her.
Certificate of good character must be applied for in person, at the Police Station in the district where the applicant lives or at the Station which is more convenient to him/her.
The applicant must present his/her identification card or passport at the station. A fee of $50 is charged for the certificate of Good Character. In addition, the applicants name, address, age, occupation and identification card or passport number are taken along with his/her fingerprints. This information is entered on the relevant application form and is sent to the Criminal Records Office, where it is checked and verified.
Applicants living abroad can go to the Police Station in their area and have their fingerprints taken. Ensure that the passport number is affixed on the form and sent to the next of kin/friend living in Trinidad. That person must then take the form to the Criminal Records Office of the Criminal Investigation Department where the application would be processed.
After having paid the prescribed sum of fifty dollars ($50), an official receipt is given to the applicant (or in the case of the applicant living abroad, to his/her member of the family who has brought in the form). This receipt must be presented on collecting the prepared certificate. The certificate usually takes three weeks to prepare.
The onus is on the person who is collecting the certificate to mail it to the relative living abroad.
The Certificate is valid for three (3) months from the issue date.
The applicant should apply before 14 days of the event in writing to the Commissioner of Police, requesting to hold such an event. In his/her letter the following information should be stated: Time, Date, Place (Venue), Route of the procession/walk-a-thon and the approximate number of people involved.
The Commissioner of Police would consider the request, and if approved a letter indicating permission would be issued to the applicant. There will be conditions outlined on the permit which are to be adhered to.
The recipient of the permit must take it along with him/her on the day of the march/walk-a-thon.
A street collection permit is required to collect donations from friends, family members and members of the public. An applicant must write a letter to the Commissioner of Police indicating his/her reasons for wanting to have a street collection.
Upon receiving this request, the Commissioner of Police would send the application to be processed at the relevant divisional police station where investigations would be carried out. Upon receiving the report, the Commissioner of Police would either issue a permit or not.
If the permit is granted, it is sent to the Divisional Headquarters to be forwarded to the applicant. This permit has certain conditionalities that must be adhered to.
The permit takes about four weeks to process.
(I) The applicant must write to the Commissioner of Police indicating his/her reason for wanting to acquire a firearm.
(ii) A "FORM 1", i.e., the Firearm Regulation questionnaire, must be completed by the applicant. This form is obtainable at the Sales Department of the Government Printery or any District Revenue Office at the cost of twenty-five cents (25 ¢) plus VAT.
(iii) The "FORM 1" together with two (2) recent passport size photographs should be submitted to the Commissioner of Police, Police Administration Building, Corner Sackville and Edward Streets, Port-of- Spain.
(iv) The application is forwarded by the Commissioner of Police to the District Station concerned, where an investigation will be made as to whether the need for the firearms exists.
(v) The Record Division Officer of that Station, interviews the applicant, and submits his/her report to the Senior Superintendent/Superintendent of the Divisional Headquarters.
(vi) This Officer then submits his/her report and recommendation to the Commissioner of Police who makes the final decision on whether the Firearms User Licence should be granted. It takes approximately two to three weeks to complete the transaction. Each case is dealt with on its own merit.
(vii) Once the licence is granted, the applicant should proceed to the firearms dealer, indicate the choice of gun and other particulars.
(viii) This information must be taken by the applicant to the Firearms Section/Firearms Registry, Police Administration Building for entry into the licence. The applicant is then free to purchase the gun outlined on the licence from the dealer.
N.B. The licence is valid for one year. The licensing period is from 1st January to 31st of March each year.
The firearms user (employee's) certificate authorises the holder of the certificate to use the firearm licence in the name of the person who owns the firearm and licence. The same procedure follows as in the case of the Firearms User licence. The only difference is that instead of applying on Form 1, the applicant must apply on Form 7. Form 7 must be completed by the applicant and the owner of the firearm.
It takes two to three months to complete this transaction.
The applicant can go to either the Divisional Headquarters or to a Licenced Retailer in the district where the entertainment is being held and collect an application form.
The Licenced Retailer fills out the Application Form for the applicant.
The retailer then takes the Form to the Court which has jurisdiction over granting bar licences in that District. A date is fixed for hearing of the application. The applicant is required to be present at the hearing. A prescribed fee is to be paid to the Court.
Before the hearing, the magistrate sends the application to the Divisional Superintendent for enquiries as to determine the suitability of the place, and to obtain agreement of the neighbourhood.
In the event where the neighbours disagree, they are free to indicate such objection to the police officer who can be cited to state in his report such objections at the date of hearing.
The application is returned to the Court on the appropriate date of hearing at which time the matter would be considered. If the occasional bar licence is granted, certain conditions and provisions should be adhered to. The applicant should collect all the intoxicating liquor to be supplied from the licenced retailer not earlier than the day of the entertainment, and shall return any balance unsold to the retailer within 48 hours of the conclusion of the entertainment.
An audited account of the cost of the intoxicating liquor supplied, the amount received from the sale and the particulars of the intoxicating liquor returned, should be furnished at the district Police Station within three days of the conclusion of the entertainment.
Any person who does not comply with the conditions and provisions, shall incur a penalty of $2,000.
Application forms for Work Permits/Extensions are obtainable at the Government Printery's Sale Office, 2-4 Victoria Avenue, Port-of-Spain.
The following documents are to be submitted when applying for a work permit.
(a) Covering letter from the Company.
(b) Twelve application forms, one of which must be an original, should be properly completed and signed by the applicant and prospective employer at sections 23 and 33 respectively.
(c) Two character references, one of which must be from the previous employer.
(d) A police certificate of good character with respect to the previous full five (5) years.
(e) Three (3) photographs of prospective employee.
(f) The official receipt of the Comptroller of Accounts evidencing payment of the application fee of TT$600.
(g) Proof of qualification. Reference is made to (ii) at the bottom of page 3 of the application forms.
(h) Proof of advertisement section 32 refers.
After submission of the above particulars, the application is processed, if approved, a Work Permit is issued to the applicant.
In the case of an application for Extension of Work Permit, the applicant must submit the following:
(a) Covering letter from the Company stating why the extension is required and also naming the understudy. Reference is made to section 31 of page 3.
(b) Twelve application forms one of which must be an original copy.
(c) The official receipt of the Comptroller of Accounts evidencing payment of the application fee of TT$600. (d) Proof of advertisement Section 32 refers.
(e) Tax Clearance Certificate "B".
After submission of the above particulars, the application is processed, and if approved an Extension of Work Permit is issued to the applicant.
The Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service provides a wide and varied range of services to the public.
The Fire Service is primarily responsible for the following:
(a) Fires and Fire-related incidents.
(b) Incidents involving natural disasters.
(c) Search and rescue operations.
(d) Explosions.
(e) Incidents requiring Ambulance Services (motor vehicle accidents, etc.).
These services can be obtained from the Fire Department by dialing 990 on the telephone. Members of the public can give the details of their request to the telephone operator.
The Fire Department also offers training in the following areas:
The Ambulance Section offers lectures/demonstrations to institutions who are desirous of training their staff in this field.
Companies can also request training in basic fire-fighting skills, where the risk of fire may be apparent.
The Fire Services Department also assists schools and other institutions in their preparation for Sport Day Parades and similar events.
These services can be accessed by forwarding a written request to the Chief Fire Officer, Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service, Wrightson Road, Port of Spain.
In accordance with existing legislation, the Fire Services Department is authorised to:
(a) prepare recommendations in relation to fire precautions and/or life safety in public premises, housing and industrial projects and the enforcement of existing legislation, e.g., Plant Inspection;
(b) provide consultancy services on fire precaution and life safety for different types of occupancies, e.g., commercial, industrial and residential;
(c) provide public education services to citizens, e.g., lectures, demonstrations and evacuation exercises;
(d) provide safety coverage for the transportation of explosives;
(e) inspect and replace fire extinguishers;
(f) issue Fire Certificates;
(g) inspect premises for Fire Certificates (Commercial and Industrial); and
(h) deal with requests for fire investigation reports from Insurance Companies.
Members of the public who are desirous of obtaining any of the above services must submit a written request to the Assistant Chief Fire Officer, Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service, Wrightson Road, Port-of-Spain.
The following services can also be obtained from the Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service.
(a) Emptying of swimming pools.
(b) Pumping out ships' holds.
(c) Filling of static water tanks (domestic and commercial).
(d) Placing hanging banners.
(e) Untying of knotted flags or flag halliards.
(f) Washing away of debris.
(g) Disposing of leaking liquid petroleum gas cylinders.
The Fire Service Band also provides entertainment in the form of musical accompaniment for social groups and other organisations.
It is to be noted that the services provided at items 2, 3 and 4 above, would incur a small fee.
Courtesy Ministry of Public Administration and Information