4,700 enroll for Guyana digital ID ahead of full rollout

More than 4,700 citizens have registered for Guyana’s national electronic identification (eID) system in 2025, receiving a single identifier and completing biometric verification supplied by Veridos. During 2026, the government of the South American country is planning to roll out more digital public service initiatives, Finance Minister Ashni Singh said during the 2026 budget presentation on Monday.

Among them is the MyGuyana Citizen Portal, allowing eID owners access to government services.

Other initiatives include the GovConnect app, which will offer online scheduling of appointments and queue management, and the Citizen Connect App, which will allow the public to submit feedback to the government, due to be launched later this month. The government is also introducing an AI assistant called AskGov to answer citizens’ questions.

The country’s national digital ID system is developed by the Digital Identity Card Registry. The eID enrollment began at the end of 2025, with the government distributing the card to select state employees.

The full rollout of the ID is expected to happen during the second quarter of 2026, once the implementation of the Digital Identity Card Act and the Data Protection Act is completed.​

The personal data protection laws were passed two years ago but are not yet in force, as the country wants to scale the national infrastructure before they take effect, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall explained in December last year.

“Once all the processes are in place, and the personnel are in place and the mechanism to administer the full implementation of the legislation, then the legislation will be brought into force,” Nandall says.​

Meanwhile, the Guyanese government is attempting to quell fears that the identity cards could pose a threat to privacy.

The Attorney General stressed that data gathered during the voluntary phase excludes highly personal information such as medical or financial records and is restricted to data that the state already owns. This includes a person’s name, address, national ID number, passport number, Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), photograph, driver’s licence, marriage certificate, birth certificate and deed poll documentation.

Guyana is making the eID available on a voluntary basis to both citizens and residents.

The country is continuing to expand Integrated Service Centres (ISCs), allowing Guyanese better access to e-ID, passports, tax and registry services. Citizens are invited to submit documents to enrollment stations, where officials can capture their facial biometrics and fingerprints for the eID card.

Article Topics

digital ID  |  e-ID  |  government services  |  Guyana  |  identity management  |  national ID  |  Veridos