Guyana Visa Requirements – How to apply, Fees and validity
Are you planning to visit Guyana for business engagements, vacations, or other reasons? If yes, why not take your time to read through Guyana Visa requirements.
Applying for a Guyana visa can be so confusing and challenging but with this guide, you will find it as easy as eating bananas.
Guyana welcomes citizens that wish to explore numerous opportunities and those that wish to invest in the country.
However, Guyana has different visa policies for foreign nationals for countries exempted from Guyana visas and those that need them. This article will enlighten you about Guyana Visa requirements, validity, application fee, and visa policies.
Meanwhile, let’s walk you through some basic details that every intending immigrant should know about Guyana.
About Guyana
Guyana is a small country in South America that borders the Atlantic Ocean. The country comprises forests and a jungle, with some mountains and rivers. The population is around 760,000, a mix of African, Indian, and European descent. The official language is English, but there are also many dialects spoken.
The currency is the Guyanese dollar. The main religions practiced are Christianity and Hinduism. Guyana is a multicultural country with a rich history and diverse landscape.
Its economic activities revolve around agriculture, mining, and lumber. There are many opportunities for foreign nationals to find jobs in Guyana. The most common jobs are in the agricultural, mining, and lumber industries. Other job opportunities include teaching English as a second language, working in customer service, and becoming a doctor or nurse.
Guyana Visa Policies
These policies cover countries that need a visa before arrival and those that don’t need one. Citizens from some countries can visit Guyana for six months without a Guyana visa. But conditions like the entry route, passport, and Skill certificate must be fulfilled to enjoy the privilege. The country offers visa-free entry and a visa on arrival to eighty-six countries globally. So if your country is not listed, understanding the Guyana Visa requirements will aid your visa processing time and collection.
Guyana Visa exemption Categories
Category one
The citizens from the countries listed below don’t need a Guyana visa to stay in the country for six months. Meanwhile, citizens with a Caricom Certificate of Skills can stay indefinitely, so it’s not compulsory to know Guyana Visa requirements.
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Barbados
- Belize
- Colombia
- Dominica
- Grenada
- Jamaica
- Peru
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Suriname
- Trinidad and Tobago
Note that citizens from Fiji don’t need a visa to stay in Guyana for four months. The same applies to citizens from Armenia though they need an e-visa or a visa on arrival.
Category two
Citizens from the countries in this category have the opportunity to stay in the country for three months without a short-stay visa. The countries include :
- Argentina
- Bahamas
- Botswana
- Brazil
- Chile
- Ecuador
- The Gambia
- Ghana
- Ireland
- Lesotho
- Malaysia
- Russia
- South Africa
- Uruguay
- Yemen
In addition, the countries below must apply for an electronic visa or visa on arrival ninety days after three months stay in the country.
- Bolivia
- Cape Verde
- Ethiopia
- Guinea-Bissau
- Kenya
- Kyrgyzstan
- Malaysia
- Nepal
- Nicaragua
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Category three
You can stay for two months in Guyana if your country falls in this category.
- India
- Samoa
Tajikistan citizens can stay for forty-five days before applying for Guyana electronic visa.
Category four
The countries in this category have the privilege for their citizens to visit Guyana for thirty days without a visa. They are:
- Bangladesh
- Benin
- Cambodia
- Costa Rica
- Djibouti
- Egypt
- Eswatini
- Georgia
- Indonesia
- Jordan
- South Korea
- Laos
- Malawi
- Maldives
- Micronesia
- Mozambique
- Papua New Guinea
- Philippines
- Qatar
- Rwanda
- Singapore
- Somalia
- Sri Lanka
- Timor-Leste
- Tuvalu
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu
Nonetheless, citizens from Togo can travel and stay in Guyana for seven days before they apply for a visa.
Types of Guyana visa
You have seen countries that don’t need Guyana visas to visit the country for a specific duration. Therefore, if your country is not listed, the next is to know the type of Guyana visa you need and their requirements. Though Guyana visa requirements are almost the same, there are differences in some visa types. The various types of Guyana visas are listed below :
- Guyana Tourist vis
- Guyana Employment visa
- Guyana student visa
- Guyana Business visa
- Guyana family reunion visa
So your purpose for traveling to Guyana determines the type of visa you should apply for. Also, countries eligible to apply for visas on arrival don’t need to visit the Guyana embassy. It is because they can stay for some days in the country without a Guyana visa. The application process for a Guyana visa on arrival can start from here.
Guyana Visa requirements
The visa requirements are required documents, eligibility criteria, and payment of the application fee. You have a better probability of getting a visa if you start your application early enough and you meet these requirements.
Guyana visa eligibility requirements
- You must be a bonafide Citizen of a country permitted to visit and stay in Guyana.
- You must have a strong reason to visit Guyana
- You must be ready to leave the country as scheduled.
- You should have a police clearance report.
- You must have a traveling passport or your country’s National ID card.
Documents required for Guyana Visa application
There are documents for all applicants for the Guyana visas to submit and specific ones. So here are the documents you must make available during your visa application.
Traveling passport
It must be valid for six months t should also have two blank pages for official use.
Guyana Visa application form
The forms must be three copies and filled out correctly with details verifiable at any time.
Guyana visa photos
You are to submit two copies of passport photographs that are not older than three months. Its dimensions must be two by two inches, white background with a visible face. Also, it must be bright, sharp, and without large or tinted eyeglasses.
Vaccination Certificate
You must attach your International vaccination certification to show you have taken all the recommended vaccines.
Criminal record
It serves as proof that you don’t have any criminal conviction so you can leave the country. The police authority and other related agencies are in charge of issuing a criminal clearance.
Proof of accommodation
It can be a hotel reservation in Guyana or a rented apartment, this can also be a company’s residence. If you have a family sponsor, you can use the address but ensure the house can accommodate you.
Evidence of funds
You must have enough money to take care of your flight and other expenses. If you’re single you can budget like six hundred US dollars monthly for daily expenses. It doesn’t include your accommodation fee. The embassy accepts documents such as bank statements, credit cards, cheques, and other genuine income sources as proof of funds.
Specific documents required for the Guyana Visa application
The type of Guyana visa you apply for will determine if you should provide any of the documents listed below:
Letter of invitation: This letter is written by a person, company, or Guyanese government inviting you to visit the country for a purpose.
Employment /work visa: If you have this type of Guyana visa you must attack your employment or contract letter. A letter of invitation by your employer endorsed by relevant agencies in Guyana must be attached.
Guyana student visa: If you apply for a student visa you must attach proof of admission and acceptance by your host institution in Guyana.
Guyana business visa: Documents like a business registration certificate, Tax identification number, and an invitation letter from the host business partner or sponsor must be attached.
How to apply for a Guyana visa
If you meet all the Guyana visa requirements the next step is to apply for your preferred visa. Therefore, you must follow the steps below so your application will be considered and processed faster.
#Step one: Get all required documents ready
Ensure you have all the documents with you in PDF format for upload. The originals must also be available.
#Step two: Complete the application form
Here, you can access the form online, fill it and upload all the documents. You can also download the form, complete it offline and attach all the required documents in an envelope.
#Step three: Book an appointment
The next is to visit the Guyana embassy or consulate in your home country to schedule an appointment. It can be done online for some countries so you should check for that.
#Step four: Pay the application fee
After you have a date to visit the embassy, you proceed to pay the visa application fee and attach the receipt to the form. You can do this on or before your date of submission and interview.
#Step five: Submit your documents alongside an interview
You must appear on your date of appointment to submit all your documents and the application form at the embassy. Then you attend an interview, you are likely to be asked questions about why you want to visit Guyana.
Note the submission procedures for some countries may be different but this is the most common.
#Step six: Wait for visa notification.
Lastly, you wait for some days or weeks to enable the embassy to process your application. An email notification will be sent to you if your visa is ready for collection.
Guyana visa application fee and processing time
Guyana tourist visas have the lowest application fee of twenty-five dollars with the other types being one hundred and forty dollars each. Payment is processed according to embassy directives.
It takes a week or more to process a Guyana visa but there are circumstances where it could take longer. The reasons could be many workloads or difficulty verifying information provided by the applicant.
Also Read: Guyаnа Business Visа – Requirements, Аррliсаtiоn, аnd Durаtiоn
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the validity of a Guyana visa?
The validity of a Guyana visa depends on the type you applied. A good example is the Guyana tourist has a validity of thirty days but is renewable for up to three months, You can hold either a work visa, student visa, or business visa can be valid for five years.
How long do I wait for the visa interview appointment in 2023?
You wait for at least two weeks after you fix an appointment with the Guyana embassy.
How long does it take to get to Guyana?
If you are flying from New York to Guyana, it will take you about twenty hours to arrive in Guyana.
What is the best traveling time to Guyana?
It is always the dry season which is always between February through October.
Conclusion
It is easy to meet Guyana visa requirements as they make your visa application and processing faster.