THERE has been a significant increase in overseas applications for Guyanese birth certificates recently, raising concerns among Guyanese, according to the General Registrar’s Office (GRO).

As such, Registrar General Raymon Cummings in a recent interview explained that a person who is born overseas to Guyanese parents can apply for a birth certificate.

“These are children who are born to parents who were born in Guyana. So, if one of your parents is born in Guyana, our constitution allows you to be registered as an overseas-born Guyanese. So, you can literally apply and get a Guyanese birth certificate, a Guyanese by descent you call it,” he explained.

Cummings made it clear that information provided by persons applying for the certificate is carefully examined.

“We vet information that persons present to make sure they are presenting authentic information,” the Registrar General assured.

In 2022, GRO processed 2,132 overseas registrations, indicating a significant increase when compared to 2020 and 2021. The majority of applications are coming from the United States of America, the United Kingdom and countries from around the Caribbean.

“It is obvious that the successes that are being achieved in Guyana are resonating around the world …. People are recognising that there is a benefit to being a Guyanese,” Cummings underscored.
The GRO, an agency under the purview of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) is responsible for issuing birth, death and marriage certificates to all Guyanese, including those who migrate.