Latest update February 10th, 2025 7:48 AM
Issuance of new passports continues to climb in 2016 – statistics
Minister of Citizenship,
Winston Felix
With hundreds of passports being issued by the Central Immigration and Passport Office each week, statistics have shown a significant increase in the issuance of new Guyana passports both locally and abroad, for this year.
The data was provided at the meetings of the Parliamentary Committee attended by Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge and Minister of Citizenship, Winston Felix, on Wednesday.
The statistics provided information on the number of passports issued in 2014, 2015 and 2016. According to the data, the figures total 248,799 new passports issued within the periods.
According to the information, in 2014, a total of 84,697 passports were issued to both locals and Guyanese living abroad. Of that number, 69,799 were issued to locally and 14,918 overseas. A notable increase was recorded in 2015 with the total number climbing to 88,001 for issued passports to Guyanese residents. But there was a slight decline in the overseas issues; 14,600 passports were issued to the Guyanese living in the Diaspora.
The statistics shows that the numbers nonetheless, totaled much more than the previous year– 102,601.
The data shows an increase in the number of Guyana passports issued locally and internationally for the first half of the year when compared to the same period for 2014 and 2015.
According to the information the total number of passports provided locally so far, amounts to 52,867 while 8634 passports have been issued to Guyanese living abroad. Earlier this year, there were reports of a spike in the number of applications for passports at the Central Immigration and Passport Office. Minister of Citizenship, Winston Felix, had highlighted the accomplishments in the systems of which one was substantial reduction in the time spent in obtaining a passport.
Felix had announced that efforts were underway to upgrade and to further reduce the time spent processing passports issued locally and abroad alluding to the fact that there were complaints about persons in the diaspora waiting for months for their documents.
The Minister had explained that a system was being initiated where once the applications reach the Immigration Department they are urgently dealt with.
“My records will show that passports coming in from the diaspora are processed at the Immigration Department between five and seven days.” He added that once this process is completed, the documents are returned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for dispatch overseas.
The Ministry has recognised the need to have a more efficient operation at the Immigration Offices to apply for passports. He said that this has prompted the move to decentralise the service, and distribution has begun in Berbice.
“We would want to take it further, that applications are received there and passports are issued there”. Other communities such as Bartica, Lethem and Anna Regina are slated to offer similar services, he added.
Looking forward, Minister Felix also announced that immigration support services will be expanded. “Our consideration is to put the service online, so that you can apply for a visa online, and the intention is to widen the services to persons living in areas which are not easily accessible to our consulates abroad.”
Felix has said that the residents of Upper Demerara-Berbice (Region 10), within the next month, will be able to renew their passports, without having to travel to Georgetown, as part of government’s efforts to decentralise passport related services.
Felix stated that the Department of Citizenship has, over the past few months, been endeavouring to decentralise the receipt of passport applications and the delivery of passports within the Regions.
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