On Tuesday 18 August, an immigration chain partners meeting took place in the RCN Office in The Bottom. In this meeting was discussed, among other, that the administrative fees will be changed as of 1 October 2015 (also Dutch citizens who are not island children and Americans will be required to per fees per 1 October 2015). It was also discussed that Americans, on the basis of a court ruling, should get the same treatment on Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba as Dutch citizens. Two other important topics that were discussed included the reporting obligation for foreigners and the labour market and immigration policy.
The chain meetings take place four times per year on both Saba and St. Eustatius, in which all the departments that have to do with foreigners are represented. These departments include; Immigration & Naturalization Service, (IND), Social Affairs & Labour (SZW), the Cabinet of the Island Governor, the Census Office, Royal Constabulary/The Police, the Tax Office and the Guardianship Council. The purpose of these meetings is to exchange information and to coordinate the processes as much as possible, for the benefit of a more efficient service to the foreigner.
The Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND) organizes and also chairs these meetings. On Bonaire, three times per year a strategic meeting takes place with the chain partners.