There will only be a limited supply of blank passports available, according to the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration.
In light of this, the Controller General has issued a special announcement asking applicants to submit passport applications only in cases of extreme urgency.
The announcement also stated that a foreign company had already won the tender to create new electronic passports, or E-Passports, which are expected to be introduced soon.
“Immigration Department: Only apply for urgent needs; passport issuance is limited.”
The Controller General announced that the department has made arrangements for an additional 50,000 standard passports, which are anticipated to arrive by the end of October, in order to fill the void until the E-Passports are launched.
The department’s statistics, according to the statement, show that only roughly 23% of passports issued in the previous year were used for international travel. In light of this, it is respectfully requested that the public wait to apply for non-essential passports until the new stock arrives.
The public is reassured by the Department of Immigration and Emigration that efforts are being made to promptly resolve the issue and that they apologise for any inconvenience caused.
