Health Alert: Guyana COVID-19 Information Update

Last updated: 10/15/20

Country-Specific Information:

Effective October 12, the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) announced new procedures for travel to Guyana. While travelers no longer need prior GCAA permission to book travel to Guyana, travelers must complete a passenger information form and schedule a COVID-19 PCR test. Testing is required within seven days prior to arrival in Guyana. Travelers who provide a negative test result dated within 72 hours of arrival can avoid additional testing upon arrival.
The Government of Guyana announced an overhaul of COVID-19 emergency measures on September 30. Changes include a later curfew, from 9:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m., with stores and businesses able to remain open until 8:00 p.m. Restaurants are permitted to open for outdoor dining, delivery, drive-thru, curbside pickup and take out until 8:00 p.m.; indoor and buffet dining remain prohibited. Face masks are required to be worn in public spaces. The revised measures took effect from October 1 and will last until October 31, 2020.
On August 14, the Ministry of Education announced that schools will be closed for face-to-face learning until further notice. All of the University of Guyana’s classes for the first semester of academic year 2020-21 starting from November 2, 2020 will be instructed online.
A full list of operational details is available here and the full text of the emergency order is available in the official Gazette.
Are U.S. citizens permitted to enter? Yes.

Entry and Exit Requirements:

Is a negative COVID-19 test (PCR and/or serology) required for entry? Yes.
- Anyone entering Guyana must submit the results of their PCR COVID-19 test (taken within seven days of the scheduled flight) electronically via an online Passenger Locator Form at least 48 hours before arrival. Travelers must provide a copy of their negative PCR COVID-19 to the airline at check-in, and to Port Health Officials upon arrival; test results should be in English to facilitate validation. If test results are more than 72 hours old upon entering Guyana, the traveler must be tested at the airport at their own expense. Once tested at the airport, travelers must wait at the airport or at a government-approved facility until a negative test result is confirmed; test results are generally available within 24 hours. If the traveler tests positive, the Government of Guyana will require the traveler to quarantine for 14 days.
Are health screening procedures in place at airports and other ports of entry? Yes.
- Screening includes temperature check, additional disinfection, and information collection for contact-tracing.

Movement Restrictions:

Is a curfew in place? Yes, nationwide curfew from 9:00 p.m. until 4:00 a.m.
Are there restrictions on intercity or interstate travel? Yes.
- Restrictions on domestic travel include limitations on specific locations, mode of transport, and occupant capacity within transportation vehicles.
- Non-essential travel into or out of Regions Seven and Nine is not permitted.

Quarantine Information:

Are U.S. citizens required to quarantine? Yes.
- The Ministry of Public Health has the authority to forcibly (if necessary) quarantine any person who tests positive for COVID-19 in either a hospital or camp created for the reception, isolation and treatment of persons suffering from COVID-19. Any person who tests positive for coronavirus shall be placed in controlled or other form of isolation.
- Inbound international travelers are requested to self-quarantine at home for seven days after arrival.

COVID-19 Testing:

Transportation Options:

- Are commercial flights operating? Yes.
  - Guyana’s international airports reopened to commercial flights on October 12. Eastern Airlines continues to operate twice-weekly flights to New York and Miami; passengers may book flights through goeasternair.com. Beginning in November, American Airlines, Caribbean Airlines, and Eastern Airlines will offer service from the United States to Guyana.
  - Per the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), any person seeking to fly into Guyana from abroad—including U.S. citizens—must complete a Passenger Locator Form.
- Is public transportation operating? Yes.
  - Public transportation services must operate at no greater than a 75% passenger capacity, and all passengers and operators must wear a mask. http://www.guyanapoliceforce.gy/

Fines for Non-Compliance:

Individuals found to be in non-compliance would be subject to fines under the Public Health Ordinance Act, Section 152.

Consular Operations:

ACS services being offered:
- We have opened additional appointments for American Citizen Services. Please schedule through our website https://gy.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/citizenship-services/appointments. You must wear a cloth face covering and comply with social distancing during your appointment. Please arrive at the embassy 15 minutes prior to your appointment. No walk-in customers are accepted.
- S. citizens, U.S. Legal Residents, and U.S. visa/ESTA holders are authorized to book their own tickets for commercial relief flights to the United States through www.goeasternair.com. You do not need to contact the embassy and can purchase tickets directly from the airline.
Visa services being offered:
- S. Embassy Georgetown is now resuming visa operations in phases under the State Department’s Diplomacy Strong framework and local guidelines. In September 2020, we resumed scheduling certain nonimmigrant and immigrant visa interview appointments, giving priority to certain categories of visas. Appointments for some categories of routine visas, including visitor visas for vacation travel (B1/B2), are still limited at this time.
- You can schedule your visa appointment through our website https://ais.usvisa-info.com/ or call center at 1-877-246-6788 (local) or 703-988-5765 (U.S). The Machine Readable Visa (MRV) fee validity dates have been extended to December 31, 2021.

Local Resources:

By U.S. Embassy Georgetown | 14 October, 2020 | Topics: Alert