Today marked a historic shift in relations between Guyana and the United Kingdom since starting from November 9, 2022, persons with a valid Guyana passport can travel to the UK visa-free.
For persons desirous of visiting the UK for longer than 180 days or for the purposes of work or study, a visa would still be required. This announcement was made by the British High Commissioner to Guyana, Jane Miller during a joint press conference with President, Irfaan Ali.
At her Bel Air Gardens residence, Ambassador Miller said since her arrival 15 months ago, issues pertaining to the visa requirement were raised by many persons in media, private sector and civil society settings. She recalled that it was also raised by President Ali when he was in the UK earlier this year for a high-level engagement with former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Ambassador Miller said this visa lift is a real sign of the confidence of the UK in the Guyana economy. Together with direct flights to soon follow with British Airways, she said this move will be transformative for the already strong relationship between Guyana and the UK.
She was keen to note that in mid-November there will be a trade mission for British businesses to visit and better understand the opportunities available here. She expressed hope that Guyana’s private sector would do the same in light of the visa lift.
The Head of State for his part noted that the idea of the visa lift is not just about strengthening the relations to advance economic opportunities but to also promote Guyana’s strong tourism potential. He said the UK has a large bird-watching population along with many individuals who are deeply connected with nature. Given Guyana’s picturesque landscapes within the interior and her rich fauna, Ali believes the country has a meaningful opportunity to exploit its tourism potential while expanding networking benefits.
Ali said too that today’s announcement comes with very hard work, adding that Guyanese must be mindful not to abuse it. He said systems will be put in place to ensure rigid monitoring.
