Guyanese NY Consulate now processing passports in days

…biometrics clears some 4000 backlogged applications

The introduction of Guyana’s biometric passport system has dramatically transformed passport processing at the Guyanese Consulate in New York, slashing wait times from months to just days and clearing a backlog of nearly 4000 applications, according to Guyana’s Consul General to New York, Ambassador Michael Brotherson.
Speaking recently on the impact of the new system, Ambassador Brotherson said the move toward digitisation is part of a wider national push to modernise public services and improve efficiency both at home and across Guyana’s overseas missions.
“Digitisation of our economy as a whole and aspects of our everyday life, including the public services that we provide for people, is critically important,” Brotherson said. “Information storage and retrieval is particularly important, especially in the public service, where we have all kinds of documents and records that are very crucial to the functioning of our society.”
He explained that the biometric passport system was introduced at the New York Consulate in early May and has already yielded significant results, particularly for Guyanese living abroad who previously faced long delays.
“I can say with certainty, based on our current trajectory and experience at the consulate, that it has really brought about greater efficiency. We’ve been able to meet the needs of our diaspora with alacrity,” the Consul General noted.
According to Brotherson, applicants can now receive their passports in near real time. “You can apply for a passport at my consulate on Monday of one week, and that passport is printed the very next day, Tuesday,” he said. “The longest time you may have to wait is really just for it to physically return from Georgetown, because we still use human couriers and diplomatic pouches to ensure secure transmission.”
He added, “My officers will send their list electronically this afternoon, and I can assure you that the passports sent today are printed tomorrow. That’s the level of efficiency this new biometric system has brought.”
The Consul General disclosed that once the system became fully operational, the consulate was able to tackle a long-standing backlog. “From May to the end of October, we cleared just under 4000 passports. Those were people who were waiting specifically for the introduction of the new biometric system,” he said. “All we are dealing with now are current applications, and those are being processed in real time.”
Brotherson described the change as one of the clearest examples of how digitisation is reshaping public services. “I don’t think there’s a more stark example of the overall electronic development of our public services than what we are seeing now with passports,” he stated.
Addressing the cost of the new biometric passports, the Consul General explained that applicants now have options. “Previously, the cost for a Guyana passport at my consulate was US$100,” he said. “With the biometric passport, you can now opt for a 10-year passport for an additional US$25. So, a 10-year passport costs US$125, while the five-year passport remains US$100.”
He added that replacement fees apply in cases of lost or severely damaged passports. “If a passport is lost or badly damaged, the replacement fee is US$175,” Brotherson said.
Clarifying the difference between the old machine-readable passport and the new biometric version, Brotherson explained that enhanced security is at the core of the upgrade. “The biometric passport actually stores your biometrics – your fingerprints and thumbprints. The previous machine-readable passport did not have those features,” he said. “It stands to reason that these passports are more secure, and in today’s digitised world, that makes travel through international airports much easier for our nationals.”
He also addressed concerns about whether applicants need an electronic ID to apply for a passport. “No, you do not need an electronic ID to apply for a biometric passport,” Brotherson clarified. “If you already had a machine-readable passport, all you need to do is bring that passport and your ID, fill out the application form, and submit your photos.”
Nevertheless, first-time applicants, he noted, must provide proof of Guyanese citizenship and have their application properly endorsed, while older green passport holders may, in some cases, be required to submit affidavits to verify identity.
The Consul General was firm in dispelling lingering perceptions of delays. “No embassy or consulate that has the equipment to do biometric passports has anyone waiting months anymore. That is a thing of the past,” he said, adding that feedback from the diaspora has been overwhelmingly positive.
The New York Consulate serves the largest concentration of Guyanese nationals outside of Guyana, making the efficiency gains especially significant at a time when Guyana itself is experiencing labour shortages across multiple sectors and increased movement of its citizens.
As Guyana continues its push toward full digitisation, Brotherson said the passport transformation offers a glimpse of what is possible. “This is exactly what modern public service delivery should look like – efficient, secure, and responsive to the needs of the people,” he said.