Immigrations receives fresh batch of passports

For the next 30 days, the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control under the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) shall be issuing passports to citizens who had earlier on applied but did not get them due to the shortage of passport books.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Rose Akol the minister for Internal Affairs said the directorate received a consignment of 50,000 passports last week and another 50,000 set to be delivered in two weeks.

"We are now ready to serve all Ugandans without any hindrances," Akol told journalists.

According to the minister, the issuance of passports will begin on March 1, with those who applied before February 15 this year.

On March 7, the other individuals that applied after February 16 shall get their passports too.

Akol said new applications for passports shall go back to the 10 working days for normal applications and two working days for express applications.

 In November last year, the directorate suffered low stock of passports and was only issuing the few which had remained to only those who had immediate journeys. The stock of passports last went low in 1990.

To make up for the time lost, Akol said the issuance of passports shall be done even on Saturdays and Sundays till March 27, adding that the procurement process for another 200,000 passports is underway.

Passports

Ugandan passports are only printed in London and Malta in Europe.

Meanwhile, a total of 13,000 passports which are ready, remain uncollected.

Jacob Siminyu, the Ministry's spokesperson said despite the previous messages sent to each of the owners, the passports were not picked, saying they had since accumulated in the last five years.

Siminyu said the directorate is in the process of advertising the passports which have not been collected.

The sudden increase in demand of passports was attributed to the sudden rush of individuals going to work in the Middle East and Saudi Arabia.

Unlike in the past (10 years ago) when the directorate used to get 40 to 50 applicants a day, today an estimated number of 500 applications are received on a daily basis.