Further improvements are in the works as it relates to obtaining passports, the Ministry of Home Affairs said yesterday, stressing that services were available at offices in various parts of the country.
A statement was issued by the ministry in relation to a letter in yesterday’s Stabroek News by Narissa Deokarran complaining about the difficulty of renewing her passport at the Central Immigration and Passport Office in Georgetown. Deokarran urged that there be a better system for making appointments and queried why passports with a 10-year life were not available. She also complained about the difficulty in finding the passport renewal form online.
In the response, Minister of Home Affairs Robeson Benn said that he had noted the recommendations made by Deokarran and pointed out that the Central Immigration and Passport Office is a Department within the Guyana Police Force which falls under the auspices of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
He said that the application form for a Republic of Guyana Passport can therefore be found on and downloaded from the Ministry of Home Affairs website (moha.gov.gy), as well as the Guyana Police Force website (www.guyanapoliceforce.gy). The application form can also be found on the websites of various consulates.
He pointed out that notices and updates relating to the Central Immigration and Passport Office are published on the Guyana Police Force website.
Over the years, he said that the Guyana Police Force, with the support of the Ministry of Home Affairs has taken many strides to improve its Immigration and Passport services to Guyanese at home and in the diaspora.
Since the decentralization of the Passport Services, he said that persons desirous of renewing their passport, first-time applicants or those who need access to any other Immigration services can do so at any of the following locations nearest to them:
• The Central Immigration and Passport Office
• Immigration Service- New Amsterdam, Berbice
• Immigration Service- Linden
• Immigration Service- Anna Regina
Additionally, passports can be uplifted at the offices mentioned above or at any of the following locations upon the request of the applicant:
• Immigration Service- Parika
• Immigration Service- Springlands
• Immigration Service- Lethem
• Immigration Service- Bartica
He added that further improvements are in the works but did not provide any other details.
