It’s official! Citizens of Barbados and Guyana can now travel between the two countries using their International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)-compliant digital national ID cards as travel documents.
The initiative came into effect on Wednesday, July 1. Minister of Innovation, Industry, Science and Technology (MIST), Senator Jonathan Reid; Chief Immigration Officer (CIO), Margaret Inniss; and Guyana’s Deputy Chief Immigration Officer (DCIO), Senior Superintendent of Police, Stephen Telford, were part of the historic process, as they travelled from Guyana to Barbados, on Caribbean Airlines flight BW 0217.
Minister Reid said following the bilateral arrangement between Barbados’ Prime Minister Mia Mottley and Guyana’s President Dr Irfaan Ali, the two countries worked to get the process implemented within less than six weeks. He described the initiative as “a really exciting moment” as he outlined the role MIST played in making the process possible.
Barbados’ Minister of Innovation, Industry, Science and Technology (MIST), Senator Jonathan Reid, presents his national ID card to an immigration officer upon his arrival from Guyana. Citizens of Barbados and Guyana can now travel between the two countries using their International Civil Aviation Organization-compliant digital national ID cards as travel documents. (T. Barker | BGIS)
“I’m pleased with the role that my Ministry is able to play in it…. So, effectively what we did was … partner with the Guyanese government, compare technologies, ensure that the things were in place to be able to share critical information, [and] share infrastructure, and as a result of that, we were able to make this dream of a president and our prime minister come to fruition,” Reid explained.
CIO Inniss highlighted that the “seamless” initiative simplifies travel for Barbadian and Guyanese citizens by allowing the use of approved national ID cards alongside existing immigration procedures, and though it is a Barbados-Guyana initiative, it falls within the remit of CARICOM.“First of July 2026, is a historic moment indeed, a change that helps to integrate full free movement in accordance with Article 45 of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas. It means that between Guyana and Barbados, citizens of both countries can now travel on their ID cards, which are ICAO-compliant,” she said.For Barbadian children under the age of 16, a passport must still be used, and though travel between the two countries is now possible using their national ID card, persons should still carry their passport in case the airline has to be rerouted to another country.
“We’re also suggesting that you travel using your ID card, but you can also walk with your Barbados or your Guyanese passport, just in case the carrier diverts to some place else that is not yet in this agreement,” Inniss stated.
Guyana’s deputy chief immigration officer also expressed delight at the landmark initiative. “Today is a significant day for Guyana. This is an exciting time for Guyana, and this is so wonderful to know that you can travel with a card from Guyana to Barbados and back, if you don’t have a passport,” Telford said.In terms of validating the authenticity and validity of ID cards for use as a travel document, he explained that “just as the passport, there are some hidden security features that once you use the relevant lights, you can identify those security features”.
Travellers are reminded to complete both the Guyana Embarkation/Disembarkation Form https://ed.gpf.gov.gy/#/, and the Barbados Online ED Card https://www.travelform.gov.bb/en, before departure.
With regard to Guyana’s form, the document number requested is not the Barbados ID number, but the document number located on the front of the ID card below the chip. For Guyanese, DCIO Telford explained, “it starts with a letter for us, and then the numbers after”.
Inniss and Telford encouraged citizens of Barbados and Guyana to use their ID cards for upcoming travel between the two countries, and other CARICOM member states to join the initiative.
(SFC/BGIS)
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