Moving to Guyana
2 ways to move to Guyana in our guide: 1 work visa, 1 student visa.
No digital nomad visa. Tax for newcomers: Guyana remittance basis for foreign-source income of persons not ordinarily resident or not domiciled, Remittance basis. Checked against official sources on .
Guyana is a small, English-speaking country on the northern coast of South America, and its immigration system is built around a sponsor: an employer or a school that deals with the Ministry of Home Affairs on your behalf. Visas and tax are handled separately.
Work · 1
Work permit
First stay: 3 yrs
Student · 1
Student visa
First stay: 3 yrs
Free movement and visa-free stays · 1
CARICOM free movement · Lets you live here
Open to 11 passports: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, VC.
Tax
Guyana taxes income arising in or derived from Guyana, and also income from elsewhere, but foreign-source income that is earned income, or that arises to a person not ordinarily resident or not domiciled in Guyana, is taxed only on the amount received in Guyana. Guyanese-source income and employment exercised in Guyana are taxable whether or not the money is received there. The rules refer to being ordinarily resident or domiciled without day counts, so the position depends on your circumstances rather than a simple test.
Standard rules
Personal income tax from 1 January 2026
35% tax
Details
- Limit: GYD 3.4M/yr ≈ $16k
From 1 January 2026 chargeable income up to G$3,360,000 a year is taxed at 25% and the excess at 35%, after a G$140,000 monthly personal allowance and a G$120,000 annual child allowance.
Taxed on
Chargeable income of employed and self-employed individuals
Limits
- GYD 3,360,000 a year (≈ $16,100) · 25% applies up to this chargeable income; 35% on the excess (Income Tax (Amendment) Act No. 3 of 2026).
- GYD 140,000 a month (≈ $670) · Personal allowance (free pay), or one-third of income after the second-job and overtime allowance if greater.
Visas
Employment visa holders working for a Guyanese employer are subject to PAYE.
Other taxes
NIS contribution deduction ceiling G$15,680 a month (5.6% of gross income up to G$280,000 a month).
Checked against official sources on , some details partly verifiedChange log
Special regime
Guyana remittance basis for foreign-source income of persons not ordinarily resident or not domiciled
Tax relief
Details
- On: Foreign-source income of that kind: amount received in Guyana
- Who: Income arising outside Guyana that is earned income (any person)
Guyana taxes income accruing in or derived from Guyana or elsewhere, but income arising outside Guyana that is earned income, or that arises to a person not ordinarily resident in Guyana or not domiciled there, is taxed only on the amount received in Guyana.
Taxed on
Foreign-source income of that kind: amount received in Guyana (proviso to s. 5 of the Income Tax Act); Guyanese-source income and employment exercised in Guyana (s. 6) is taxable whether received in Guyana or not.
Who it applies to
- Income arising outside Guyana that is earned income (any person), or income of a person who is not ordinarily resident in Guyana or not domiciled in Guyana.
- An individual is resident in Guyana if he or she resides, or intends to reside, permanently in Guyana, or resides in Guyana more than 183 days in the year.
Exclusions
- Unearned foreign-source income of a person who is ordinarily resident and domiciled in Guyana is not covered by the proviso as read.
- Employment exercised in Guyana is deemed Guyana-source.
Days in the country
- More than 183 days in the year · Residing in Guyana more than 183 days in the year makes an individual resident in Guyana (s. 2 definition)
Tax residence
The proviso refers to 'ordinarily resident' and 'domiciled' without day counts; the 183-day test is the s. 2 definition of 'resident in Guyana'.
Visas
No immigration-status condition appears in the proviso; it applies by residence, ordinary residence and domicile.
Checked against official sources on , some details partly verifiedChange log
Checked against official sources on Change log
Guyana in pictures
Arriving in Guyana: first steps
- Make sure your employer or school has sent your details to the Ministry of Home Affairs before you arrive.
- Carry your supporting documents, including business registration and NIS and GRA compliance papers for work, or your acceptance letter and uploads for study.
- Have health cover arranged, as a medical report may be requested.
- Give your intended address, which the institution passes to the Ministry of Home Affairs for students.
- Open a bank account once you have your address and immigration documents.
Questions people ask
What work visas does Guyana offer foreigners?
Guyana has 1 work visa. Work permit gives a first stay of 3 years that can be renewed.
How do I get a student visa for Guyana?
Guyana has 1 student visa. Student visa gives a first stay of 3 years that can be renewed.
Does Guyana have a special tax regime for new residents?
Yes: Guyana remittance basis for foreign-source income of persons not ordinarily resident or not domiciled. Guyana taxes income accruing in or derived from Guyana or elsewhere, but income arising outside Guyana that is earned income, or that arises to a person not ordinarily resident in Guyana or not domiciled there, is taxed only on the amount received in Guyana. It is separate from the visa and has its own conditions.
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≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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