The Guyana Police Force yesterday announced that from Wednesday passport distribution would be decentralised and applicants would be able to collect their travel document from locations other than the Central Immigration and Passport Office in Georgetown.
In a press release yesterday the Force advised the general public “that with effect from Wednesday October 01, 2014, passport applicants will be able to uplift their passport at locations around the country other than at the Central Immigration and Passport Office in Georgetown where issuing will however, continue as normal.”
The release stated that the locations where applicants can uplift their passport are the Central Police Station, New Amsterdam; the Mackenzie Police Station; the Parika Police Station; the Bartica Police Station; the Anna Regina Immigration Office; and the Lethem Immigration Office at the Multi-Purpose Complex. “Applicants are also advised that on submitting their application at the Central Immigration and Passport Office, they must indicate whether they will uplift their passport at the Main Office in Georgetown, or at one of the other locations so that it can be sent to the location they… choose,” the release said.
Further, it was noted, passports sent to Lethem will remain at that location for three months, while for the other locations they will be kept for two months, after which if not uplifted by the applicants, they will be returned to the Central Immigration and Passport Office Georgetown.
It is unclear what has prompted this move but the announcement will be seen as a relief to many as there have been countless complaints about the distance some people have to travel to first submit the application and then to uplift the document. Over the years there have been calls for the entire passport application process to be decentralised.
