Guyana and Barbados become first CARICOM nations to launch passport-free travel

Caribbean: Citizens of Barbados and Guyana are now able to travel without passports between the two countries using their International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) compliant digital national ID cards as travel documents. The initiative aims to make travelling between the two sister CARICOM states more easier.

According to the information, Caribbean Airlines flight BW 216 landed in Guyana on Wednesday, July 1, from Barbados with the first set of passengers who used their Electronic Identification card to enter the country.

The first departure using the e-ID card took place at the Eugene F. Correia International Airport at Ogle, as officials from both the countries were observing the full travel process. They monitored airline check-in, immigration clearance, and duty-free shop purchase using the electronic identification card.

After the inaugural flight from Bridgetown, Guyana’s Minister of Public Service and Government Efficiency and Implementation, Zulfikar Ally addressed the media and said that the airlines have set up everything needed for the new rules. He also confirmed that all the systems are now ready for smooth travel between two countries using Electronic Identification Cards (e-IDs).

He said that this is a historic moment and depicts the strong relationship between Guyana and Barbados. He stated that this initiative is a part of wider efforts which aims to modernise public services and revealed that discussions are ongoing to expand the use of e-ID cards on more regional routes across the Caribbean.

Officials further noted that the implementation of the passport-free travel system was made possible through the collaboration of immigration authorities, custom officials, airlines, and other agencies from both Barbados and Guyana.

Barbados’ Minister of Innovation, Industry, Science and Technology (MIST), Senator Jonathan Reid, Barbados’ Chief Immigration Officer (CIO), Margaret Inniss, and Guyana’s Deputy Chief Immigration Officer (DCIO), Senior Superintendent of Police, Stephen Telford, travelled from Guyana to Barbados in Caribbean Airlines flight BW 217.

Guyana’s Deputy Chief Immigration Officer, Senior Superintendent Stephen Telford, described the initiative as an ‘exciting development’, and said that the citizens who don’t have a passport would be able to travel between the two countries by using their e-ID cards.

Barbados’ Chief Immigration Officer, Margaret Inniss, said that this initiative is another step towards strengthening regional integration. She said that it depicts the long-standing friendship between the two countries and hoped that more CARICOM member states would eventually adopt the system.

The passport-free travel arrangement came into effect on July 1 after a bilateral agreement between Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley and Guyana President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali.

According to Jonathan Reid, both countries worked together to implement the initiative in less than six weeks.