Guyanese passport holders can now apply for an electronic visa or obtain a visa on arrival in Saudi Arabia without needing a valid United States, United Kingdom or Schengen visa, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation announced on Saturday.

The change removes a previous requirement that limited access to those visa options. According to the ministry, Guyana is now the only country in South America whose passport holders qualify without holding one of those third-country visas.

The ministry said the arrangement will make travel easier for Guyanese visiting Saudi Arabia for Umrah, tourism or visits to family and friends.

Travellers can apply for the electronic visa or obtain a visa on arrival using their Guyanese passport and paying the required visa fee, the statement said. The process does not require an agent or a visit to an embassy.

The ministry attributed the change to expanded bilateral discussions between Guyana and Saudi Arabia, including efforts to strengthen trade, investment, tourism and contact between citizens of the two countries.

It also said the government will continue improving features on Guyana’s machine-readable passports to meet international standards.