The Ministry of Internal Affairs has asked international students in all institutions of learning to legalise their stay in the country by registering and getting student passes.
On Friday, the ministry, through the directorate of Immigration Control met with officials from the Ministry of Education, National Council for Higher Education and education institutions to engage on the rationale for having foreign students registered and issued with student passes.
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“This is an awareness campaign and it has been long overdue. We have some foreign national students in various institutions but without registering with immigration. We invited the institutions so that we can sensitize them on the laws and regulations of Uganda,” said Col Geoffrey Kambere, the commissioner for Immigration Control in the Internal Affairs Ministry said.
“It is mandatory for every foreign student in Uganda to register with immigration. We have automated most of these systems and schools or students can apply for these student passes online than coming to the headquarters."
Col Kambare noted that the ministry has decentralized their services and that students can register and get passes at the regional centres in Jinja, Mbale, Mbarara, Gulu, Hoima and Arua.
“They can apply online and the entire process done without p
According to the commissioner in charge of Immigration Control in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, whereas in the past almost all students had registered and had passes, after the end of the Covid lockdown, new international students came into the country and most of them never registered.
“We are coming from Covid pandemic and lockdown that saw many international students come to study in Uganda without registering to get passes.”
Col Kambare explained that the student pass that costs $100 goes for one year and after the elapse, the student must apply for a new one, noting that many have not renewed these important documents to legalise their stay in the country as students.
“We are starting with sensitizing before going for punishments ( for both schools and students) is to ensure they get to know what they are supposed to do. Afterwards, we can go for those who don’t comply with our laws. It is a must for every international student to have a student’s pass”
He explained that whereas students from East African Community member states are excused from paying the $100, they are supposed to register with immigration.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs spokesperson Simon Mundeyi noted that whereas in the past they have carried out operations targeting foreigners staying illegally in the country with the requisite documents, they had spared students for fear of traumatizing them.
“We have been asking foreigners to legalise their stay in the country but we didn’t want to storm schools to pull out students staying illegally. We thought it is wise to first have a word with the institutions of education and sensitize them on this process,”Mundeyi said.
He noted that by engaging education institutions, they will help to ensure all international students they have are registered.
Dr.Alex Kagume, the deputy Executive Director of the National Council for Higher Education said Uganda has over 19,981 international students with the biggest number of these at universities.
“We have students from fellow East African Community countries, Africa, Europe and Asia among other areas.”
He noted that affordability, hospitality and safe environment among other factors ensure foreigners seek education services in Uganda.
