The British top diplomat in Jamiaca has confirmed that the island’s head of state and representative of King Charles III does not require a visa to travel to the United Kingdom on business.

However, following a question surrounding the necessity for a UK visa for a Governor General posed by Marlene Malahoo Forte, minister of legal and constitutional affairs on X, formerly known as Twitter, British High Commissioner to Jamaica Judith Slater responded publicly on the social media platform, yo clarify the matter.

Taking to X, Malahoo Forte initially wrote: “Independence Constitution of Jamaica 1962 gives deepest protection to British Monarch in Govt of Jamaica. Governor General is the personal rep of King Charles III. Why should GG be required to apply for & obtain a visa to travel to UK on official business? @ukhomeoffice @JudithSlater_UK.”

Slater responded: “The Governor General and Lady Allen are not required to obtain a visa, but rather a vignette, or stamp, is put in their passports which states that they are exempt from requiring visas. This is renewed every 2 years.”

Both the question and response have been met with mixed reviews. Some users have questioned whether there is a political agenda behind Malahoo Forte’s post, while others have expressed that the requirement of a vignette every two years is no different from that of a visa, hence the sentiments remain.