The Guyana government Wednesday urged the European Union (EU) to urgently put systems in place to grant Schengen visas to nationals, who have to must travel to Suriname or Trinidad and Tobago to obtain such a document to travel to any European country.
A Schengen visa is a short-stay visa that allows a person to travel to any members of the Schengen Area, per stays up to 90 days for tourism or business purposes. It is the most common visa for Europe and enables its holder to enter, freely travel within, and leave the Schengen zone from any of the Schengen member countries. There are no border controls within the Schengen Zone.
President Irfaan Ali, who is due to leave here later on Wednesday for an official visit to Trinidad and Tobago, made the request for the EU visas to be granted in Guyana, hoping also that the impending formal establishment of the EU-Guyana Chamber of Commerce would be an impetus for this to happen.
“It is in their strategic interest to have that facility here,” he said, adding that he is also hopeful that EU visas could be granted here within the next three months.
“What do you want us to do to help you to get it done and next we must get it done,” he said, describing the hassle of Guyanese going to Suriname for three days for Schengen visas as “nonsense, absolutely ridiculous.”
Ali noted that apart from British Airways making a return to Guyana, the country is also hoping to the Dutch airline, KLM, would service the route.
President Ali said technology should not be used as an excuse not to grant EU visas in Georgetown.
