Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of Guyana, revealed that at least five European Union (EU) countries have agreed to sponsor Guyana’s bid for visa-free travel to the Schengen area. The announcement was made during a media interaction at the site visit to the new Eccles to Diamond four-lane highway.
The President explained that the process of visa removal requires the backing of sponsoring countries. He expressed his satisfaction with the progress made so far, stating, “We have at least five countries that have agreed to sponsor us to begin the process within the EU itself.”
However, Dr Ali also highlighted a significant challenge that Guyana must overcome to achieve this goal – the improvement and upgrade of the country’s passport system. “Biometrics and e-passport are very critical for global travellers. So, we have to now work expeditiously on having our system transformed so that we can have ease of movement and ease of travel,” he said.
In addition to the pursuit of visa-free travel status, President Ali noted that Guyana is also working towards more efficient processing of Schengen visas within the country. He revealed that Guyana has received strong commitments from at least three countries willing to assist in this endeavour.
The initial discussions on Schengen visa-free travel took place during President Ali’s recent attendance at the European Union-Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (EU-CELAC) Summit 2023. Bilateral meetings with leaders of several EU countries have since facilitated the advancement of these discussions.
The President described the Summit as “fantastic” and highlighted Guyana’s leadership in critical areas, particularly forest conservation and climate change. “We’re working hard to position the forests on the agenda at COP28 and to take global leadership on this,” he said.
The European Schengen Area comprises 27 countries that have officially abolished all passport and border control measures at their mutual borders. The United Kingdom lifted the visa requirement for Guyanese travellers to spend up to six months in the country in October last year, and there are ongoing efforts to secure similar arrangements with Canada.
