About the Department

The Immigration Department of the Velocity Interoperability Network is responsible for entry to the Velocity Interoperability Network, the issue of visas to visitors and workers, the issue of passports to citizens of the Network and the register of citizens. It is the authority a traveller meets at the border and the authority that decides who may enter, on what document and with what devices.

The Department was established on 6 September 2026. On the day of its establishment it published the entry rules, the register of points of entry, the classes of device and a service standard for every document it issues. Visa applications opened the same day. The first passports will be issued once the procedure for verifying identity in person is in place, and the register of citizens has been opened with the founding citizens of the Network recorded in it. See the history of the Department for the milestones so far.

The Department's approach is set out in its published rules rather than in the discretion of its officers. The entry rules say what may be brought in; the register says where; the service standards say how long a decision will take. Where the Department must make a judgement, as it does when it examines a visa application or decides a grant of citizenship, it tells the applicant the reason for its decision in writing and allows a fresh application once the reason has been addressed.

Responsibilities. The Department's work falls into seven areas.

Entry to the Network

Setting and applying the rules on what may be brought into the Network, and inspecting declared items on arrival.

Points of entry

Maintaining the register of points of entry, staffing each with officers of the Department and recording every entry to and departure from the Network.

Device registration

Registering certified devices to their holders at the point of entry, suspending devices that are lost or stolen and deregistering devices on departure.

Visas

Examining applications from visitors, workers and the staff of member organisations, and issuing visas.

Passports

Issuing passports and travel documents to citizens of the Network.

The register of citizens

Maintaining the record of every citizen of the Network, registering births, deciding applications for a grant of citizenship and issuing certificates.

Service standards

Publishing a processing standard for every document the Department issues and reporting performance against it each quarter.