Guyana permits dual citizenship, and its passport is open to citizens by birth, descent, registration or naturalisation alike. There is one firm obligation attached: a Guyanese citizen must use the Guyanese passport when entering or leaving Guyana.
Quick facts
For a child born in the United States, the route is the one on the civil records page: register the birth for $20, receive the registration certificate, and that eligibility then supports a passport application.
The sequence
| Step | What it produces | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Birth registration abroad | Certificate of Registration of Birth | $20 |
| National identity card | Identification in Guyana | Charged there |
| Passport | Travel document | Published consular fee |
| Citizenship by registration | Certificate of registration | Handled in Guyana |
| Naturalisation | Certificate of naturalisation | Handled in Guyana |
Either the certificate of registration or the certificate of naturalisation serves as proof of citizenship for a passport application, in place of a birth certificate.
How to proceed
- Register the child’s birth at the mission covering your area.
- Check the spelling of the name on the certificate when it arrives.
- Arrange the national identity card, which a first passport requires.
- Apply for the passport with the registration certificate as proof of citizenship.
- Keep the documents together: later procedures ask for them repeatedly.
- Travel to and from Guyana on the Guyanese passport once it exists.
Required documents
- Certificate of Registration of Birth, or a birth certificate from Guyana.
- Certificate of registration or naturalisation where that is your route.
- National identity card.
- Valid photo identification and proof of U.S. address.
- Marriage certificate or registered deed poll for name changes.
- Photographs to the published specification.
Where to apply
At the embassy in Washington or the consulate general in New York.
Additional notes
The identity card comes first
Without a national identity card there is no first passport, and the card is obtained in Guyana. Plan that step into a family visit.
Register children early
At $20 there is little reason to delay, and the registration is the foundation for everything that follows.
Travel documents
Enter and leave Guyana on the Guyanese passport and the United States on the U.S. one.
Remigrant arrangements
Guyanese returning home after years abroad have specific concessions on importing household goods and vehicles. Ask the mission about the current conditions.