Passport fee, departure tax increased

Last Updated on Monday, 28 November 2016, 19:08 by Denis Chabrol

The cost of acquiring a Guyanese passport and leaving Guyana will go up from January 1, 2017 when the new national budget takes effect.

Finance Minister, Winston Jordan announced that the cost of acquiring a new passport has moved from GYD$4,000 to GYD$6,000. However, persons 65 years and older will no longer have to pay for that travel document.

Overseas-based Guyanese who apply for new passports through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs usually pay a higher fee.

Jordan said the departure tax has been increased from GYD$2,500 to GYD$3,500- a rate that applies to the Eugene F. Correia International Airport. He did not say if passengers leaving through the Cheddi Jagan International Airport will behave to also pay increased departure tax.

The Finance Minister also announced that in line with the new departure tax,  outgoing passengers will have one less queue / line to join as the departure tax will be included in the ticket price. “I wish to announce, too, that measures will be implemented to enable airlines to collect and remit the tax to the Revenue Authority, thereby making for one less departure line at our airports, and reducing the cost and administrative burden on the GRA while ensuring consistency with international practices in the travel industry,” he said.