BVI lifting visa requirement for Guyanese nationals
/ Our Today
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The British Virgin Islands has announced plans to lift visa requirements for Guyanese citizens visiting the UK-governed Caribbean territory.
In an interview with Guyana-based media News Room, Deputy premier and Trade Minister Lorna Smith, who is currently leading a trade mission now in the South American republic, said the change would be made in short order.
She told News Room, “I’ve had discussions with the Premier [Natalio Wheatley]. In fact, I’ve asked him very directly about the visa situation because Guyanese do require a visa to visit the BVI. He has authorised me to say that we are considering lifting that requirement and I expect that to happen very soon.”
Guyana’s economy has been growing due to oil reserves found off its coast in recent years. As such, the BVI is one of the countries moving swiftly to build stronger connections with the country.
During the interview, Smith also said the visa requirement must be lifted if the BVI wants to build stronger trade relations with Guyana stating, “if we are serious about building a partnership with Guyana, that is the first thing that has to be lifted. So, I have no doubt that is something that will happen quickly.”
Many have been calling for the lifting of the visa restriction against Guyana because of the strong ties between BVI and that country. Based on the 2010 Population and Housing Census report released in 2014, Guyanese nationals make up the largest portion of the immigrant population in the BVI at 7.2 per cent.
Third District Representative Julian Fraser recently called for the visa restriction to be lifted given the significant contribution Guyanese make to the territory.
Guyanese are among a select group of Caribbean nationals including Cubans, Haitians, Jamaicans and Dominicans that require a visa to visit the territory.Nationals of more than 90 countries are on the list of citizens that require visas to enter the territory.
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