– embassy
Guyanese have one of the highest overstay rates in the US when compared to the other countries in the region, according to the local US embassy.
In it’s fortnightly ‘Ask the Consul’ column in the March 13 edition of Stabroek News, it was stated that the consular officer’s decision to approve or deny a holiday visa has to also consider that Guyana has one of the highest overstay rates when compared to other countries in the region. It noted that this consideration is augmented “by the fact that Guyana has one of the healthiest migration rates per capita in the world”.
The column was providing an answer to a question that asked why it was so difficult to get a holiday visa in Guyana. The questioner had stated that after three attempts, he/she was not able to get a holiday visa but pointed out that a Barbadian friend received one on the first try.
According to the answer provided, there are several factors that affect the consular officer’s decision to approve or deny the visa with the most important factor being the applicant’s ties to Guyana or a third country besides the US. It stated that according to US immigration law, all visa applicants are considered intending immigrants unless they can prove to the consular officer’s satisfaction that they have no intention of staying in the US.
Additionally, according to the answer provided, the officer also has to consider that Guyana has one of the highest overstay rates when compared to other countries in the region and this is also augmented by the fact that Guyana has one of the “healthiest” migration rates per capita in the world. “Every year, one percent of Guyana’s population migrates to the US while another one percent migrates elsewhere”, according to the answer provided.
It added that “because so many Guyanese have abused holiday visas with the intention of migrating, they have made it that much more difficult for other Guyanese to be able to enjoy a nice holiday in the US”.
‘Ask the Consul’ is a fortnightly column from the US Embassy answering questions about US immigration law and visa issues. Answers are published in the Stabroek News and on the US embassy’s website at
http://georgetown.usembassy.gov/guyana/ask_con.html.
