Relief for tourism, business sectors as Guyana excluded from US visa bond list

The tourism and business communities have welcomed the United States’ decision to exclude Guyana from its visa travel bond list. The bond requires nationals from certain countries to pay as much as US$15,000 when applying for temporary visas, as a guarantee that visa holders will comply with the terms of the document.
US Ambassador to Guyana Nicole Theriot told media operatives earlier this week that Guyana is not currently included among the countries required to pay the bond when applying for a visa. She noted that Guyana’s overstay rate was not very high or as problematic as in some other countries.
President of the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG), Mitra Ramkumar, welcomed the announcement, noting the strain the policy would have placed on the business and tourism sectors if the bond had been imposed.
“We have in our membership international clients who have actually seen a decline in reservations for travel to the US; and so anything that poses a barrier to travel affects tourism and business on a whole.”
Ramkumar explained that travel supports a range of services—including reservations, accommodation, food, and transportation—which particularly benefit tourism businesses.
Capt. Gerald Gouveia Jr., Chairman of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), also expressed satisfaction that Guyana is not on the travel bond list.
“It preserves Guyana’s competitiveness with ease of access into the US markets… safeguards investor confidence and facilities Guyanese travelling to the US for business, tourism or visiting family.”
Gouveia Jr. added that Guyana and the US have shared a strong relationship, and the private sector looks forward to continued growth with its US partners.
As for the new US-imposed US$250 “visa integrity fee” set to take effect on October 1, it is unclear whether Guyanese will be required to pay this amount upon entry into the US for anyone approved for a non-immigrant visa. The fee is said to be reimbursable for those who comply with visa rules.