Nearly 200 illegal immigrants opt for legalization

Nearly 200 people who entered Suriname legally before July 1 but who currently have an illegal status have seized the legalization option offered to them by the Ministry of Justice and Police (Juspol). Acting Minister of Justice and Police, Ferdinand Welzijn, told Times of Suriname that nearly 200 people have handed in their documents so far in order to gain a legal status.

Welzijn made it clear that the people who entered Suriname legally before July 1 have until December 20 to get a legal status. After the deadline, they will be deported. They will also get a red stamp which means that they cannot enter Suriname for six months or longer. The minister explained that the people are in Suriname illegally and must in fact return to their own country. “But the ministry is offering them the opportunity to get their affairs in order. The requests for legal status can be handed in at the old Surpost building at Kerkplein. A special unit has been established there to process the requests,” said Welzijn who urged the people not to wait until the very last minute. Illegal immigrants from South America and the Caribbean have to pay $600 for their request while people from other parts of the world must pay $3,000. The ministry wants everybody to have a legal status in order to tackle human trafficking in Suriname. Welzijn explained that legalization is for the group of people who entered Suriname legally but who could not get their papers processed due to various circumstances. The legalization project is a joint effort of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Buza), the Ministry of Finance and the local embassies. Minister Welzijn explained that the fact remains that there are strangers who have been part of Suriname’s labor process for several years.