In an effort to bring competent, and complete service to the Guyanese diaspora, the Guyana consulate began services every second Saturday of every quarter during the year, as from Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017 from 10 am – 2 pm. Dec. 16, 2017 will be the last for this year before the 2018 schedule.
During an interview with Caribbean Life, recently Guyana Consul General Barbara Atherly said except for visas, the consulate will process birth certificates, travel documents, death certificates travel documents, and will give notary service.
As of Sept. 1, 2017, walk-in applicants for passports will receive service on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, from 9 am – 3 pm.
“Over the past year, we have worked to enhance our services in an easier, and friendlier way. The consulate also introduced an automated telephone system and launched an interactive, user-friendly website,” noted CG Atherly.
The diplomat is also calling on Guyanese who have applied for passports or birth certificates between 2010 and April 2017, to collect their documents by Sept. 30, 2017, before the documents are returned to Georgetown.
She noted that the consulate can no longer hold the documents due to lack of storage space, and is in negotiations with the passport office in Georgetown to return them.
Atherly, who has been instrumental along with the staff, to bring the consulate into a twenty-first century computerized system, since taking up office one year ago, is urging nationals to come into the office as soon as possible to collect their passports.
Machine-readable passports are now accepted through a mail-in system. Applicants could use overnight / express mail, with tracking ability for exact record keeping, as well as for the applicant’s peace of mind.
Applicants must ensure forms (downloaded from the website www.guyan
Two passport-size pictures and the passport fee must accompany the completed form and return postage, payable by money order. The processing time is about four to six weeks.
The consulate is in discussions with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Georgetown, for the passport office to put an expedited service in place. This will come on-stream in 2018, after a network is created to combat corruption.
Expatriates who have expressed thanks to the consulate for bringing consulate services to communities in the Tri-State area, New Jersey and Schenectady, will once again enjoy these services in 2018.
Atherly added that town hall meetings would continue in certain areas and she is encouraging Guyanese to make use of all information that are available by logging on to www.guyan
Guyana Consulate; 308 W 38th St., New York, NY 10018. Phone number: 212-947-5113.
