– Guyana Consul General suggests Guyanese nationals return for visits or permanent relocation; Guyana an increasingly attractive destination for international visitors
The Guyana Consulate in New York has processed nearly 10,000 passport applications and issued over 100 visitor visas in 2024, reflecting a growing interest in travel to Guyana.
In a recent interview, the Guyana Consul General, Michael Brotherson, revealed that the consulate processed 8,955 Guyanese passport applications in 2022, 9,078 in 2023, and 9,996 in 2024, showing a steady increase in demand.
Brotherson noted that this trend highlights a rising desire among Guyanese nationals to return home, whether for visits or permanent relocation.
“So, there’s a trend there, the stats, reserves and so on, I’m always going to notice there’s an upward trajectory, an upward trend of more applications, and I believe, in a broader sense, it speaks to, in a broad sense, it speaks to what is happening in Guyana, you know, it speaks to the interest, it speaks to the desire to get home,” he posited.
Guyana Consul General to New York, Michael Brotherson
“One can reasonably assume that Guyana is becoming more and more attractive, as if we’re aware of persons, for whatever reason, want to go there, not only in terms of our nationals, going back and requiring the services of passports,” Brotherson said.
Similarly, visa issuance has also surged. In 2022, the consulate issued 29 visitor visas from applicants of 14 different countries. That number increased to 72 visas from 20 countries in 2023 and jumped to 125 visas from 30 countries in 2024.
This growth, Brotherson highlighted, suggests that Guyana is becoming an increasingly attractive destination for international visitors.
Additionally, the Consul General outlined the procedures for Guyanese nationals who lose their passports. He explained that those in urgent situations can obtain an Emergency Travel Certificate, allowing them a one-way trip back to Guyana, highlighting that the consulate assists with reporting lost passports to the police and provides documentation to facilitate travel.
“We have what you call an emergency travel certificate, and again, the requirements are for that, you have to prove your Guyanese citizenship. Of course, your birth certificate is usually a good way of proving that; some persons have copies of their own passports and so on. So you come into us, we give you a letter, because the laws require you to account for every passport that you’ve been issued… When we give the travel certificate, it is usually, the airlines usually use that for a one-stop, generally, travel home, so in other words, you can’t use a travel certificate to go to multiple countries, and it’s surrendered at port of entry in Georgetown,” he added.
Furthermore, regarding passport renewal, individuals with an old Guyanese passport can apply for a new one without requiring additional proof of citizenship. However, older hardcover passports issued over 20 years ago may require a birth certificate for renewal.
Moreover, Brotherson clarified that diplomatic passport holders still require a visa, unless Guyana has a visa waiver agreement with their country.
Employment visas, on the other hand, are issued by Guyana’s Ministry of Home Affairs.
While the consulate can issue visitor visas for work-related travel, individuals seeking employment in Guyana must apply through the proper channels in Georgetown.
New passport
About four days ago, Deputy Chief Immigration Officer (DCIO) Stephen Telford, revealed that Guyana will soon introduce new, modern passports with a ten-year validity.
According to Telford, works are ongoing to upgrade the existing travel document to include modern features, in alignment with international standards.
At the moment, the passports have a lifespan of five years but according to the DCIO, the new documents will now be valid for ten years.
