More than 275,000 machine readable passports issued over five years

Aug 26, 2012 News

The Central Immigration and Passport Office has issued a total of 275,273 machine readable passports in the first five years since they were introduced on July 17, 2007.
This is according to figures this newspaper managed to obtain from the passport office.
The amount translates into a little over 55,000 books per year or slightly over 1000 per week.
And when renewals and replacement passports are taken into account, it is no

Over 275,000 machine readable passports have been issued since July 2007

wonder the office is crowded with persons every day.
Kaieteur News understands that during the period, the office received 276, 702 applications for the new machine readable document, which became mandatory to facilitate the region’s hosting of Cricket World Cup 2007. However, up to July 31, last, there were still 1,429 of the documents lying uncollected.
Presently, it only takes four days from the time of application for an individual to receive a new machine readable passport.
The process involves filling out an application form which is available online and personally taking it, along with a passport size photograph and $4000 to the Camp Street office for processing.
And adequate systems are in place to ensure that there is no need for persons to queue up from as early as 04:00 hours at the Central Immigration and Passport Office.
This assurance was given by police Public Relations Officer Ivelaw Whittaker last week when invited to comment on the sometimes chaotic situation at the Camp Road location.
Addressing the concerns of applicants about long delays at the passport office, the police spokesman said that there is adequate staff at the location, and the working hours have been extended.
The Central Immigration and Passport Office now operates between the hours of 7am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.
According to Whittaker, the previous numbering system, where a person could be turned away once the quota has been exhausted, no longer exists.
There has been a constant cry for the decentralization of the issuing of passports. This was recently addressed by Deputy Chief Immigration Officer, Assistant Commissioner Carol Primo, during a television interview.
She had informed that the initiative is being vigorously considered by the police administration.
This will eliminate the need for persons from far flung areas to travel to the city to obtain a passport.
But in the meantime the passport office has put measures in place to assist persons coming from out of town.
“Priority could be given to senior citizens, pregnant women, persons from out-of-town and those who have urgent visa appointments. We can try our best to facilitate these persons because we are flexible,” a Guyana Police Force official told this newspaper.

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