Moleson, Guyana Border/Ferry Crossing | Customs and Immigration

Guyana -> Suriname

I slept at the ferry terminal w my hammock. There’s a covered seating area w bathrooms where you can camp. Actually they said it’s not allowed but they allowed me. No charge. Parked the moto right outside the seating area. They close the gates at night. It’s very secure and quiet. There’s also and open wifi but pretty slow.

The open the office for processing at 6:30am. Note that there is a time change in Suriname. It seems like they are operating on Guyana time at the ferry terminal.

1. First they will check your passport and yellow fever vaccine.
2. Then go to the police outpost and they will look at your vehicle papers.
3. Then drive through the gate, park moto to the side or w van park moto in line, and go in and pay for you and your moto fare for the ferry $8600 gyd cash. Get a receipt. They also give you a simple immigration paper to fill before paying for the ferry.
4. Get passport stamped. Then you are done. Wait for ferry to arrive from Suriname. Motorcycles go to the front of the line.

There is a snack shop at the terminal that sells chips and beverages, hot chickpeas, and pastry looking things. There’s also hot sauces and ice cream to buy as well as a duty free with all alcohol. Also a guy sells fresh fruit salad and lemon honey water.

There are money changers at the terminal giving a bad rate, maybe 30% less than the internet rate but apparently there’s no other place to change.

The ferry is supposed to arrive at 10am but depends on when it comes from Suriname.

Best to arrive early, I woke up here so had plenty of time but I had a friend who arrived at 9:30am and said it was cutting it close. He said arrive no later than 9am but of course earlier would be better.

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Suriname -> Guyana

We paid 110$ for a Defender and 20$ per person.

In Guyana they asked for the yellow fever certificate, insurance and inernational drivers licence.

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Large delays at the moment because the ferry is in bad shape. Loading bridge broken (reversing on only) and the propulsion is broken, so the ferry is towed by another boat. This means no second sailings at the moment, even when there are a lot vehicles. If you can’t get on the ferry, they put the license plate of your vehicle on a “priority” list for the next day. But there are more priority vehicles every day then there is room on the ferry. So make sure to camp in front of the gate and be ready from 6am to guard your spot in the queue. Hopefully the issue is fixed soon again. Took us 3 days/2 nights to get on. Paperwork slow but easy. Insurance for Suriname and yellow fever certificate required or you can’t board. I have posted a photo with current ticket prices. Camping in front of gate is quite pleasant, but lots of mosquitoes and when we where there, a lot fires so a lot of smoke.

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WIFI IN THE BORDER GUYANA SIDE
USER: PAPPy
Password: cippy2023

💪✌🏽🙌🏻🙏🏼

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Entering with a dog:

Process for Pet Travel to Guyana:

1. Send an E-Mail to [email protected] and inform them that you want to come to Guyana with your pet. We also put all the contacts from the "Guyana Livestock Development Authority" website into CC.
2. Wait for their reply. In our case they replied within one day and sent us an "In-Transit-Application" form. This is the paper that you need for the border Crossing.
3. Get the official Health Certificate from Suriname
4. Send a Scan of the filled in "In-Transit-Application" and the Health Certificate back to Guyana
5. Officially they will then send you a signed Scan of the "In-Transit-Permit" within 3 working days. It costs 5000 GYD or 25 US$. We could pay this at the border.

Info: you will find out that it is quite difficult to get all this done within the 10 day validity of the health certificate. It is just a stupid system. In our case we have sent them the Form and the Health Certificate on Thursday, informing them that we will enter the country on Monday. Until Monday we did not receive an E-mail back so we went to the border without it. At the border we showed them the E-Mails and they called the Guyana Livestock Development Authority to confirm that we are good to go. We had to pay the 25$ for the form at the border.
They check the documents thoroughly and even take a photo of the pet to send it to the GLDA. So do not try to sneak your pet through without the proper paperwork.

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Entering Guyana:
1. We waited for everyone else to go to customs so that we were the last ones. We waited for around 30 to 45 minutes.
2. Get your passport stamped. Someone will come and check your Yellow Fever Card when you are waiting in line.
3. We were asked to drive up to the customs building so that they could check the VIN of our car. First time for us that someone actually checked the VIN on the car and in the papers.
4. They will lead you the way to the customs for the TIP. Have vehicle papers, passport and drivers license ready. We did not need our international drivers licenses. We got a 14 Day TIP.
5. Once you're cleared you can leave customs. Turn right immediately and go to the small police building (next to customs building). They will put your Name and Car Details into a book. After that you're ready to go.
The whole process took around 1,5 hours. It was a straight forward process and the custom officers all were extraordinarily friendly.

Don't know how long the Visa on arrival is valid. The customs guy told us 6 months, which we doubt is right. We will leave the country anyway after 14 days.

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Esqueci de relatar que também é preciso o seguro do carro.
6:30 h abre para os trâmites dos papéis
12:00 h parte a balsa para o Surinami

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Passamos a noite aqui, e as pessoas ( os seguranças) nos atenderam super bem. Tem água e banheiros.

No dia seguinte começamos os tramites dos papéis que achamos um tanto complicado pra sair do país Guiana.
1 apresentar documentos do carro e carteira de motorista
2 apresentar passaporte e pagar 15 dólares americanos por pessoa
3 checar o motor home
4 pagamento da taxa motor 130 dólares americanos
5 outra fila pra carimbar a saída dos passaporte.
Você deve informar se não irá voltar por aqui, caso contrário os valores são diferentes.

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To add visa detail.
There is no such thing as a tourist card on Suriname side - don’t need it. (I went to Suriname embassy in Georgetown - they said they don’t issue/sell them - was told to go ahead and cross ferry and can take care of it right at border entry). You purchase an “entry free voucher” $25 or €25 - must be cash only those 2 currencies. After crossing right at immigration there is booth to the left.
Then immigration stamps you in I got 30 days, can extend to 90 days in Paramaribo.
This is the easiest way to get in - don’t need to do online visa on arrival - tourist card etc.

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Be courteous, ask politely and the staff will let you camp in the waiting area. Access to bathrooms & running water. I pitched tent in waiting area, cooked in parking lot, packed up before 6:30AM. Free.

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So for a fiat Ducato 2007 we paid 8360 GYD & and 3145 for the 2nd passenger. So we arrive the day before and it was nice, restroom were open all night. In the morning, even if you're first it's doesn't matter, everyone in the same time get the immigration forms and the driver go to the police custom, a little check and they let you enter after the barrier. After that you pay your ticket, our weight is 1.9 for information. After you go to the passport stamp, you also made an other line with everyone in the same spot. And after your stamp out, you wait until the ferry go.
In Suriname, you can pay 25$ US or 25€ for the Visa entry directly and immigration stamp and finally the custom for the permit. (For the change, be careful that they give you good bill and for us $ it was for 50$us, 10 500GYD ) And you're free to go. They do look our vehicle in Suriname but just a look.

Important : after comments below we kept our guyanese dollar to change in Paramaribo but we tried 5 exchange shop and just one accepted it in "black", every others refused. So change in dollar maybe not surinamese dollar but change in the border even if they've got high fee. because we loose 10$

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First, don't change money at the border!! There are many cambio offices in Paramaribo where you can change Guyana Dollars for much better rates!

Wow. Thats expensive. Guyana to Suriname: Recommend to sleep here, as the line fills up very quickly. Ask the guard where the line starts and overnight in the line. They open for check in at 6.30, ferry leaves at 10.30. Only if the first ferry is full and there are more than 7 cars left, there will be a second round. You need:
-Suriname Entry Fee voucher: We did it online the day before but it can take a few days to be processed (Cost 33 USD pp). You need to print it out. As visa type we selected "Entry fee". BUT!!: We learned at the ferry that on both sides of the river you can directly buy the tourist card, and its cheaper (25USD) and you don't have to find a place to print.
-Yellow fever vaccination
-Covid vaccinations (we had 3)
-Vehicle Insurance for Suriname (ask your Guyanese vehicle insurance to add Suriname for free in Georgetown).
-Usual Paperwork (passport, vehicle papers, driver license. This is the first time we had to show our international driver license).
The process itself is long and annoying but people will tell you where to go in which order.
IMPORTANT: Try to spend all your Guyanese dollars before. The money exchange guys ask for a 30% surcharge from the official exchange rate. As everything in Guyana, ridiculously expensive and its the same on both sides of the border.
The ferry cost us 11495 GYD for the high top landcruiser incl. driver plus 3135 GYD for the passenger. Its dependent on the weight. If your vehicle registration paper looks complicated such as the German one, find a low but not completely unrealistic number in your vehicle registration and show it to them when they ask you to show them the weight in the registration. We found 2.8t and showed it to them instead the official 3.5t we have.

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olvide poner que nos pidieron la vacuna de fiebre amarilla

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tenemos placa argentina y permiso de conducir argentino, nos dieron permiso por 14 días gratis (no tenemos licencia internacional)

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Okay, we showed up around 6 and there was a big line in the front of us (bad luck), asked the locals and just 14 cars will fit in the line and if are there more cars then they will have a second run. Bingo and they did, so basically if there are other cars (I think he mentioned 7) then they will do a second run around noon. The whole process was ridiculous - especially the inspection of the car, first at before the gate and second after you are inside the gate... Have no idea why. They took our knives and gave us back on the other side. No food control. On Suriname side it was just smooth and quick. And we were lucky they still have a bunch of tourists cards to sell, but as below no more when sold out. Enjoy the crossing with a big big smile....

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Exiting Guyana for Suriname-
Must pre-purchase Suriname auto insurance. Don’t show up without it!
Also need Yellow fever card. Passport. Registration or title. TVIP from Lethem/Georgetown. Cash for ferry. We were charged $16,720GD for truck camper and $3,135GD per person for ferry crossing. ALSO if you have dogs they need the paperwork from Lethem/Georgetown and will scan for microchip. They vet must inspect dogs. They will do a full inspection of vehicle including knives, tools, all cabinets. Did not take any food away. Once the vehicle is inspected you drive into gated area and start paperwork. Lots of official folks asking lots of questions. Remember to do tourist exit form and get exit stamp before boarding ferry. Must back down curved ramp to board ferry. Then show tickets. Ride about 45 min. Prepare with patience and smiles.

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Border more bureaucratic of South America. All very slow. You need the passport + yellow fever certificate. In we case don't need a visa.

To enter with the car you need: insurance (we bought in Paramaribo/Suriname) + documents of car + drivers license international

Even they examined the number of chassis car.

TIP for 14 days. Permission to drive for 29 days ( we don't have license international) and for us 1 month. All disorganized

And... the document to do TIP have a cost $1 USD

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fast wifi, clean toilets and you shall have a cup or container to shower from the sink. safe, nice stay at night. I bought the Suriname car insurance at here 5.892266, -57.136735 and open at 8 am.

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Horrible burocratic border. Coming from Suriname, they will ask you for an insurance which has to be in english or they will obligate you to buy a new one.

If you don't have international driving license, they will ask you to do a permit in the next town before you can get the motorbike out of the custom office. But during the weekends is closed, so you will get stuck if you arrive during the weekend.

and if, like me, you have a international driving license but is expired. You will be really messed up if you don't have also your national driving license up to date.

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Just taken the ferry at 10 am with a Land Rover Defender and 2 people. Process is long and tricky. We camped there as well the bight before and we advise to do the same as the customs take forever.

The ferry turns out to be less expensive than for other travellers. We paid $11.795 guyanese dollars for the Defender and the tickets for 2 people all included. We managed to pay less than other tourists only because we stated the weight of our car and we ask to have the same rate as locals. We paid the toll bridge $3500.

Be careful as the ferry people try to sell tickets to tourists stating a higher weight than the real weight of your car so pay attention.

Also do not change money at the border, they charge as high as 30% for the change...

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Currently still only one ferry per day, it leaves at 10.00 and check in is from 06.30-09.00. The ferry ride takes about 30 mins, the douane process and checking in a lot longer. We camped there the night before and were happy we did as the process took quite a while and the lines were long and this way we were first in line. Very strict procedures, where to stand in line, where not to sit, and we had to bring out our cooking knives for inspection???

Also, the ferry ticket is superrrrr expensive, $23.300 guyanese dollars for 2 people, one SUV, so nearly 100 USD. The toll bridge mentioned in post below was $4000. So bring enough money...

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Another note ref the comments of De Einder Voorbij (below) - we couldn't get a TIP for 30 days at this border. They said they could only give 14 days and we would have to get an extension in Georgetown. Hmmm....! (Erick of 'la vuelta del mundo en n dias' had the same experience 2 days before we did ).

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Correction to the post of DeEinderVoorbeij below: at the New Amsterdam bridge, BIG RIGS may have to pay a freight fee. See our note at the bridge location.

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From Suriname to Guyana
Total procedure took about 90 minutes. No luggage check although we filled in to have fruits/vegetables. We got a TIP for 30 days, so no need to go to Customs in Georgetown. You have to buy the TIP form (USD 1 or GYD equivalent). We were asked for an IDP. A copy of the relevant pages was accepted when we explained that the original was stolen and after we showed the police report. It was the first time in over 2 years traveling that it was questioned if the vehicle documents were genuine (we alsways use a good copy). There are money changers outside the building, but you can reach Georgetown without local money. The bridge near New Amsterdam has only a toll for traffic towards Suriname.

Steps:
- Fill in immigration and customs forms
- Have passport stamped. Passports are collected by an official
- Wait for passport to be handed back
- Hand in Customs form
- Buy and complete TIP form
- Have TIP stamped
- Have vehicle inspected by Customs
- Have all documents checked at police stationxaround the corner.

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This is where you exit/enter Guyana via ferry. The ferry service schedule seems to vary depending on how busy it is, but at this time, it departs 1x per day at 11am. The gate to the ferry terminal closes at 10am and they will not likely let you enter after that. We arrived at 9am and JUST had enough time. First, provide the police officer in the office to the left of the gate with your passport, registration, license and insurance for Suriname. A security guard will then take your documents and look at your vehicle before opening the gate and letting you into the ferry terminal. Once in the terminal, you will need to fill out a customs document. Take this and the rest of your documents (including the Surinam tourist card/visa that you got in Georgetown) to begin the process where you will: 1. Buy a ferry ticket (for 1 motorcycle and it's rider it was 25USD - which you can also pay in Guyanese dollars - change will only be given in Guyanese but there are money changers outside of the gate). 2. Proceed to the left to a desk on the right where the officer will take your passport, tourist card, and customs document and only give you back the first two. 3. Give your vehicle import papers to the customs official walking around (he will find you), but he might be unsure of what to do with your papers and may ultimately decide to keep them. 4. Board ferry. (Note: there is a floating toll bridge on the way here - 200G$ for motorcycles, 2200G$ for a car and up. They will not accept USD.)

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