613 persons, mostly Brazilians, are being asked to report to the Immigration Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs in relation to their “immigration approval documents.”
The notice was published in yesterday’s Sunday Chronicle and the passport numbers of the persons were listed. They are required to take along their passports when reporting to the Immigration Division. It is not clear if it is related to naturalization or other purposes.
When Stabroek News visited several hotels where Brazilians congregate yesterday, persons who spoke indicated that they had not seen the notice and the copy this newspaper showed was the first time they were seeing it.
In April, at a meeting with foreign immigrants and non-immigrants at the Guyana International Conference Centre, President Donald Ramotar sought to assure foreign nationals living and working in Guyana that his administration is trying to minimise delays in the processing of immigration applications and work permits and also to ensure their safety.
Ramotar and Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee, who was also present at the meeting, heard the frustrations of those gathered and tried their best to answer questions in relation to processing time for paperwork and requirements of immigration paperwork. Many persons complained about the extremely long waiting time to receive information on the status of immigration paperwork and even national ID applications from the ministry. Other persons noted that there was discontinuity between work permits and visas, since work permits were being issued for three years, while visas are being issued for one year.
