Bermuda is making progress on visa-free travel privileges to Europe, according to Senator Walton Brown. He told the Senate yesterday that he has been working for the past 18 months to secure such privileges for Bermuda passport holders.

He said under the current European Union constitution, all Bermuda passport holders require a visa to enter countries within the EU unless they have a 'right of abode in the UK' stamped inside.

"We have made a significant step forward by securing an acknowledgement from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office that all Bermuda passport holders are entitled to receive the 'right of abode' stamp in their passport.

"This right is a consequence of the UK restoring full British citizenship to Bermudians in 2003, having withdrawn it some 20 years earlier with the passage of the British Nationalities Act 1983. The current process for securing this stamp is complicated, with applicants having to apply to the UK New York office and submitting extensive documentation along with their passport."

Sen. Brown said he is now trying to persuade the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to either issue Bermuda passports with the stamp attached or allow the Bermuda Government to assume responsibility for the situation and develop "appropriate procedures".

He said a number of Caribbean islands signed a visa waiver agreement with the EU last year, and he hopes Bermuda can soon do the same. "As British citizens, Bermudians have the right to hold full British passports and thereby eliminate the need for a visa to gain entry to the EU. It is significant to note that many Bermudians have not applied for a full British passport.

"We want to ensure these Bermudians are not denied travel privileges. More importantly, Madame President, in a world of uncertainty and constant change, it is imperative that Bermuda negotiate and secure visa free travel privileges on its own and not rely on the United Kingdom."