Internal Affairs says passport application services now swift after system upgrade

The Ministry of Internal Affairs has resumed full production of passports at all centres across world after undergoing a system upgrade.

Addressing journalists on Monday, Simon Mundeyi, the ministry spokesperson said the two day shutdown of the passport offices around the world has ensured the much needed system upgrade is realized in a bid to ensure efficient service delivery.

“The speed at which we are handling applicants at these offices is now supersonic. We used to process one applicant taking about four minutes but it is now between one and two minutes after the upgrade,” Mundeyi said.

The Internal Affairs spokesperson explained that previously, they had last upgraded the system in 2018 when the country started issuing e-passports and after five years, they needed to do an upgrade.

"Previously, we had estimated to receive between 1000 and 1200 passport applications but the number has gone up to as many as 3000 applications per day. The system upgrade was therefore required,"Mundeyi said.

He noted that after the two day shutdown, all passport offices around the country have reopened to serve members of the public who have made passport applications.

Apart from the ministry’s headquarters in Kampala and  passport issuance centres at Kyambogo, Mbarara, Gulu, Mbale, Uganda also has passport centres abroad in Washington,London, Ottawa, Copenhagen, Pretoria and Abu Dhabi.

The ministry said Ugandans now easily apply for passports, schedule appointments for interviews, printing, collection and enrollments for passports are now functional for everyone.

“You will find that if you apply now, our system is faster and much robust since the speed has doubled.”

Mundeyi noted that whereas normal applications for passports take 14 working days, express applications take 48 hours while the upgraded system handles more applicants than it used to do.

He asked those who had been scheduled to appear for interviews or picking passports last week to do it starting today to be handled.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs prints at least 2000 passports every day.