The IGM inaugurated a regional office in Morales, Izabal, this Friday, October 9, its fourth branch outside the capital, while reporting that it served 55,061 Guatemalans who were deported or voluntarily returned during 2026. The office will centralize passport, residency, and immigration control procedures, as well as assistance for those who returned to the country after living abroad.
The figure corresponds to the count as of October 8 and will exceed the total recorded last year, reported Alfredo Danilo Rivera, director general of the Guatemalan Institute of Migration. The increase in deported persons and voluntary returns led the institution to launch the Return Home Plan.
The office is located at Ofi Bodega G&H, at kilometer 245 of the CA-9 highway, in the village of La Ruidosa. Its opening was attended by the departmental governor of Izabal, Gilda Ismelda Córdoba Pacheco; diplomatic representatives, members of Congress, human rights officials, and organizations linked to human mobility, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Migration services and assistance for the returned population
The new office brings together the subdirectorates of Passports, Foreigners' Affairs, Migration Control, and Attention to and Protection of the Fundamental Rights of Migrants. The concentration of these areas will allow residents of the department to handle their procedures without traveling to other regions.
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Staff of the Guatemalan Institute of Migration assist citizens during a migration paperwork day. (Guatemalan Institute of Migration)The IGM inaugurated a regional office in Morales, Izabal, this Friday, October 9, its fourth location outside the capital, while reporting that it had assisted 55,061 Guatemalans who were deported or voluntarily returned during 2026. The office will centralize passport, residency, migration control, and assistance procedures for those who returned to the country after living abroad. The figure corresponds to the count as of October 8 and will exceed the total recorded last year, reported the director general of the Guatemalan Institute of Migration, Alfredo Danilo Rivera. The increase in deported people and voluntary returns led the institution to launch the Return Home Plan. The office operates at Ofi Bodega G&H, at kilometer 245 of the CA-9 highway, in the village of La Ruidosa. Its opening brought together the departmental governor of Izabal, Gilda Ismelda Córdoba Pacheco; diplomatic corps representatives, members of Congress, human rights officials, and organizations linked to human mobility, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Staff of the Guatemalan Institute of Migration assist citizens during a migration paperwork day. (Guatemalan Institute of Migration)The new office brings together the subdirectorates of Passports, Foreigners, Migration Control, and Attention to and Protection of the Fundamental Rights of Migrants. The concentration of these areas will allow residents of the department to handle their procedures without traveling to other regions. Users will be able to request the issuance or renewal of a passport and receive the document the same day, according to the Guatemalan Institute of Migration. They will also be able to process temporary and permanent residencies, request visa extensions, and receive guidance if they exceeded the authorized period of stay in Guatemala. The Migration Control Subdirectorate will handle requests for migration movement certifications, arraignment procedures, and calculations of fines for overstaying. Izabal already has four migration control posts located in El Cinchado, Puerto Barrios, Santo Tomás de Castilla, and Livingston. The institution also enabled a mobile service aimed at foreigners residing in areas such as the department's marinas. Rivera explained that authorities had identified foreign nationals in those areas who generate local employment. The Return Home Plan, promoted under the leadership of President Bernardo Arévalo de León and Vice President Karin Herrera, is aimed at facilitating the reintegration of Guatemalans who remained outside the country for years. Assistance will be provided by the subdirectorate specialized in the protection of the fundamental rights of migrants. The office will allow interviewing and accompanying returnees during their reintegration process. The IGM director noted that Izabal also requires priority attention for those requesting international protection, since its five municipalities were declared a solidarity territory in coordination with UNHCR. Staff of the Guatemalan Institute of Migration assist citizens during a migration paperwork day. (Guatemalan Institute of Migration)The Morales office incorporated a mechanism for searching for missing migrants through interinstitutional coordination. Relatives of people whose whereabouts are unknown will be able to file reports on site and access psychological support. The creation of the office began to be managed in 2024, when Rivera took over the direction of the IGM. The official recounted that the process included meetings with the Congress of the Republic, local authorities, the women's association UNAGIL, and deputies from Izabal. The opening adds to the regional offices operating in Chiquimula, Zacapa, and Quetzaltenango. The strategy seeks to decentralize migration services and expand the institution's presence outside Guatemala City. Córdoba stated that the office will prevent residents of Puerto Barrios, El Estor, Livingston, Morales, and Los Amates from having to travel to Río Hondo, Zacapa, to handle their procedures. During the inauguration ceremony, she affirmed: "Let the services reach the people, not the people to the service." The office operates under the Migration Code, Decree 44-2016, and its regulations. It will be open Monday through Friday, from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., while the requirements for each procedure will be available on the IGM's official channels.