Living in Guyana: the basics

Updated 24 Oct 2026

General information, not professional advice. Always confirm with the official source.

Languages

English is the official language. Paperwork, schools and government forms are in English.
On the street you will hear a lot of Guyanese Creolese. It has its own grammar and is not just an accent. See useful phrases.
On the Brazilian border, around Lethem (Region 9), there is a Portuguese-speaking Brazilian community. Brazil runs a consular site for the area.
Documents not in English usually need an English translation. The employment visa application, for example, requires one.

According to the Ministry of Education and IOM, Spanish-speaking migrant families live in several regions, mainly:

Region 1 (Barima-Waini): for example, near Port Kaituma.
Region 2 (Pomeroon-Supenaam) and Region 3 (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara).
Region 4 (Demerara-Mahaica): Georgetown and surrounding areas.
Region 7 (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).
Region 9 (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).

There are also Indigenous Venezuelan families, including Warao communities. A 2023 IOM survey interviewed them in Regions 1, 2, 7 and 9.

R4V, using Government of Guyana registration data, reports 28,255 registered migrants as of 8 February 2026, up from 23,412 in September 2024.
R4V notes the real number may be higher, because many people do not register with the Immigration Department.
We found no official figure (Government, UNHCR, IOM or R4V) for the number of Cubans, Dominicans or Brazilians in Guyana.

The currency is the Guyana dollar (GYD).
To open an account, banks usually ask for:
- photo ID or a passport;
- recent proof of address;
- proof of income;
- for foreign nationals working in Guyana, a TIN certificate from the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA).
Source: Guyana Association of Bankers.
Each bank has its own rules. Ask at the branch.
Never lend or sell your bank account to anyone. It can be used for fraud, and you would be responsible.

R4V, Venezuelan refugees and migrants population map, February 2026. https://www.r4v.info/sites/g/files/tmzbdl2426/files/2026-04/Stock%20Map_Feb26_Eng.pdf
Ministry of Education, 13 Jan 2025. https://education.gov.gy/en/index.php/media2/news-events/7411-4-000-migrant-students-enrolled-in-guyana-s-schools
UNHCR, Guyana plan 2020 (Warao communities). https://data.unhcr.org/en/documents/download/73811
IOM, DTM Guyana 2021. https://dtm.iom.int/reports/guyana-flow-monitoring-surveys-venezuelan-nationals-guyana-september-december-2021
IOM, DTM Indigenous Venezuelans, March 2023. https://dtm.iom.int/reports/guyana-flow-monitoring-surveys-indigenous-venezuelan-nationals-guyana-round-5-march-2023
Guyana Association of Bankers. https://gabigy.org/resource-center/the-account-opening-process/
ISS, Employment Visa. https://eservices.iss.gov.gy/employment-visa
DPI, Port Kaituma, 22 Nov 2021. https://dpi.gov.gy/venezuelan-migrants-can-access-health-services-at-port-kaituma-health-minister/
Guyana Police Force. https://guyanapoliceforce.gy/?page_id=194 ; GOV.UK. https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/guyana/getting-help