With its 61st ranking and an overall medium mobility score, Guyana’s passport is ranked over a number of countries in the region when it comes to visa-free travel, including neighbouring Suriname, Jamaica and Cuba.
This is according to Visaindex, which is owned and operated by Guide consultants, in their 2022 rankings. With a Guyanese passport, holders have visa-free access to 52 countries, including Fiji, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Ghana, Ireland, Qatar, Russia and Singapore, in addition to visa on arrival access to 35 destinations.
Visa on arrival means a visa granted to travellers by port authorities, after the traveller would have already landed. Among the countries granting this to Guyana are Armenia, Bahrain, Egypt, Kenya and Nepal. Meanwhile, one country, Sri Lanka, requires an Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA)
“This grants it an overall medium mobility score… this limit instant travel opportunities to selected destinations. Guyanese passport holders require a visa to enter about 141 destinations. Some countries where a visa is required are the entire European Union, the United States and Australia,” the index explained.
In explaining the methodology, the index said that the Guyana passport ranking relative to other global passports is calculated by adding up the number of countries that allow Guyana passport holders to enter without a visa and those that allow Guyana passport holders to enter by obtaining a visa on arrival or an electronic travel authorisation (eTA).
“Altogether, Guyana passport holders can enter a total of 87 destinations – either without a visa, through a visa on arrival, or via an eTA. As a result, the Guyana passport ranks 61 in the world,” they explained.
At number 61, Guyana tops other Caribbean countries like Jamaica (ranked at 62 with 86 destinations), Suriname (ranked at 68 with 78 destinations), the Dominican Republic (ranked at 77 with 67 destinations) and Cuba (ranked at 81 with 63 destinations).
Meanwhile, the highest ranked South American countries are Argentina and Chile, both tied at number 19 with 173 destinations. Barbados is the highest ranked Caribbean country at number 24 with 163 destinations.
Guyana has of recent been pushing for an end to visa requirements for travelling to countries like the United Kingdom (UK). Last year, Foreign Affairs Minister Hugh Todd had used the occasion of a visiting trade delegation from the United Kingdom (UK), to meet with them and push for, among other things, the removal of visa restrictions for Guyanese to travel to the UK.
The delegation had comprised of Britain’s Deputy Trade Commissioner (HMDTC) for Latin America and the Caribbean Department for International Trade (DIT) Spencer Mahoney, British High Commissioner to Guyana Jane Miller, Caribbean Regional Director for DIT Laura Ferguson and Guyana’s Country Director of the Department of International Trade at the High Commission, Sherwyn Naughton.
During the engagement, Todd had highlighted that the political agenda of the Government of Guyana and the United Kingdom aligns well as both Administrations firmly uphold the pillars of democracy, good governance, and transparency.
He also informed the delegation that the Government of Guyana is on a quest to create an environment that is conducive to business, as it recognises the importance of “ease of business” in attracting investors to Guyana.
It was also not lost on the group that Guyana’s economy is set to undergo a transformation in terms of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), owing to the oil wealth. Despite these developments and Guyana being a part of the Commonwealth, a visa restriction is still in place for travel to the UK.
