Guyanese would not be required to pay a bond of up to US$15,000 to enter the United States should the US move ahead with a pilot non-immigrant programme, US Ambassador Nicole Theriot told reporters today.

The US Administration has proposed a pilot programme that could see business and tourist visa applicants from certain countries being required to pay a bond of up to US$15,000 to enter the US. The Ambassador said Guyana is not among countries to be affected.

“Currently, Guyana is not included on that list. It does not apply to Guyanese citizens applying for a visa,” she said in response to a question posed by News Source.

According to US reports, the 12-month programme would apply to travelers from countries with high visa overstay rates and weak internal document security. Based on the applicant’s profile the bond could range from US$5,000 to US$15,000.

Ambassador Theriot said Guyana’s overstay rate is not problematic.

“I haven’t checked recently but Guyana’s overstay rate is not very high. In my opinion, it is not problematic, in that sense. So, at this moment, Guyana is not included on that list but obviously anything could change but I would be very surprised,” she said.

According to a report published by the US Customs and Border Protection, in 2023 Guyana had an overstay rate of 5.59% with a total of 3,186 Guyanese with B1/B2 visas overstaying their time in the United States. The US Government has been rolling out a number of initiatives to clamp down on illegal immigration.

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