GEORGETOWN, Guyana — Guyanese passport holders can now travel to Saudi Arabia with a visa on arrival or an electronic visa (e-visa), making entry easier for tourism, religious travel and other visits.

Guyana is now the only country on the South American mainland whose passport holders have access to this facility, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Previously, Guyanese travellers could qualify for an e-visa or visa on arrival if they held a valid United States, United Kingdom or Schengen visa.

The ministry said the change follows intensified bilateral relations and discussions between Guyana and Saudi Arabia, with both countries seeking to expand cooperation in trade, economic partnerships, investment and tourism.

“Consequently, this makes travelling from Guyana to Saudi Arabia much easier—whether you’re travelling for Umrah, tourism, visiting family or friends, or simply visiting Saudi Arabia for any other purpose,” the ministry said.

It described the development as symbolic of the growing relationship between the two countries and said it would help further strengthen people-to-people connections.

The ministry added that the Guyanese government was continuing efforts to enhance the features of the country’s machine-readable passports in line with global standards and requirements.