Despite claims by various authorities that there is no change in the visa policies, a significant decline in the number of visitors’ visas issued by the United States Embassy in Guyana was recorded last year.
In fact, the figures dropped by over 20,000 in 2018.
According to a visa summary provided by the US Department of State, a total of 4,923 visitors visa were approved in by the US Embassy here in Guyana during the 2018 Fiscal Year, which runs from October 2017 to September 2018.
This is a whopping decline compared to the 25,338 visas granted in 2017, the 51,202 in 2016 and 30, 121 visas in 2015.
Meanwhile, with regards to permanent residency, a total of 7,506 immigrant visas were granted by the US to Guyanese.
Prior to last year, Guyana consistently recorded high numbers of non-immigrant visas issued by the US Embassy here.
Former US Ambassador to Guyana, Perry Holloway had attributed this to the improving economic situation here as wells as lesser Guyanese abusing their visitors’ visas.
In fact, he had dismissed concerns that the US was changing its immigration policy towards Guyana, saying those were “misplaced fears”.
