Guyana has secured a significant travel and diplomatic milestone with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with Guyanese passport holders now able to enter Saudi Arabia using a visa on arrival or an electronic visa without first having to possess a valid United States, United Kingdom or Schengen visa.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation announced the development on Saturday, noting that Guyana is now the only country in South America whose passport holders enjoy this facility without the requirement for a third-country visa.

Previously, Guyanese passport holders were required to have a valid US, UK or Schengen visa in their passports to qualify for the Saudi e-visa or visa on arrival. That condition has now been removed.

The change is expected to make travel between Guyana and Saudi Arabia significantly easier, including for persons travelling for Umrah, tourism, to visit family and friends, or for other purposes.

Guyanese travellers will also no longer need to go through an agent or visit a Saudi Arabian Embassy to access the facility. They can apply for the electronic visa directly or obtain a visa on arrival using their Guyanese passport and paying the required visa fee.

The ministry said the development is a consequence of the intensification of bilateral relations and ongoing discussions between Guyana and Saudi Arabia, particularly in areas including trade, economic partnerships, investment, tourism and people-to-people relations.

The new travel facility is also being viewed as a significant step in strengthening and consolidating relations between the two countries.

The government says it will continue efforts to enhance the features of Guyana’s Machine Readable Passports, in keeping with global standards and requirements, as the country seeks to further expand international travel opportunities for Guyanese.