Uganda to open passport office in Riyadh to ease Gulf access

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The Ministry of Internal Affairs has announced plans to open a new Ugandan diaspora passport office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to ease access to passport services for Ugandans working and living in the Gulf region.

Addressing a press briefing at Police Headquarters in Naguru, the Ministry’s spokesperson, Simon Mundeyi, said the decision was driven by overwhelming demand, particularly from Ugandan migrant workers who have long endured logistical challenges travelling to embassies in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, or even flying back to Uganda to process their travel documents.

“We care about our citizens. Many have been trekking long distances just to renew their passports. Starting July 2025, our new office in Riyadh will bring services closer to them,” Mundeyi said.

The new office will be Uganda’s eighth diaspora passport centre, joining existing ones in London, Washington DC, Ottawa, Copenhagen, Pretoria (South Africa), Beijing, and Abu Dhabi.

Mundeyi revealed that although Turkey was initially considered, Saudi Arabia was prioritised due to its significantly larger Ugandan population.

He confirmed that infrastructure and staffing for the Riyadh office are already in place, with operations expected to begin mid-year.

New systems for easier access

Mundeyi also outlined structural changes aimed at improving service delivery for Ugandans at home.

He clarified that passport enrolment—including fingerprinting and biometric capture—is strictly done at the Ministry Headquarters, but once a passport is ready, clients must collect it from a new passport collection centre located in Kyambogo, Nakawa Division, Kampala.

“We now have two points of service: one for enrolment at the Ministry, and another for collection at Kyambogo. We want to decongest our headquarters and ensure faster, orderly service,” he said.

To enhance efficiency further, the Ministry is acquiring mobile passport enrolment kits.

These kits will enable officials to capture biometric data for clients unable to physically access the Ministry, for example, hospitalised patients or Ugandans in remote areas abroad.

“This innovation will particularly benefit our people in the United States, where distances between states are vast. Our officers will move to the clients. This is part of the care we have for our diaspora community,” Mundeyi added.

He also revealed that the same service will benefit Ugandans within the country.

Fraud syndicate under investigation

The Ministry also sounded the alarm over a growing fraud syndicate targeting Ugandans seeking US visas and passports. Mundeyi named a woman identified as Angela Bukenya, based in Washington, DC, as the ringleader of the scam.

Operating through a company called AngieB Consultants, Bukenya has allegedly conned several Ugandans by collecting money and passports under the false promise of securing US work permits.

“Angela Bukenya and her agents have been stealing money and passports from Ugandans. We are investigating her and are in touch with US authorities,” Mundeyi said.

He named some of her local agents in Kenya as including a woman known only as Agnes, a man called Brian Mukasa, Farouk Kalema Musoke, and Moses Arinaitwe. All are under investigation.