The Ministry of Internal Affairs has assured Ugandans abroad who are still holding machine readable passports which have been phased out that they can still ably return home to Uganda.
The ministry last week announced that the grace period for use of machine-readable passports that started over a year ago had elapsed and that anyone holding the documents cannot use them for travel but rather the electronic passports are the only documents allowed.
Addressing journalists on Monday, Internal Affairs spokesperson, Simon Peter Mundeyi said Ugandans abroad who are still in possession of machine-readable passports and are willing to return home can reach out to the various embassies or consuls to issue them with emergency travel certificates to allow them travel back home.
“I want to assure Ugandans still possessing machine readable passports that all is still well. They can get an emergency travel certificate which is issued at the respective embassies free of charge to enable them return home,”Mundeyi said.
“The emergency travel certificate enables one to travel back home but it is withdrawn on arrival and destroyed. It therefore allows for one to travel back home but can’t be used to return abroad.”
Mundeyi said the ministry was moved to clear the air after cries , especially on social media by a section of Ugandans abroad who said could not return home since they still have the phased out machine readable passports.
The ministry spokesperson said Ugandans still holding the phased-out machine readable passports can process the newly introduced electronic passports online and pick the travel documents at the various passport centres abroad.
Uganda has passport centres in Washington, London, Pretoria, Abu Dhabi, Ottawa and Copenhagen whereas one in Beijing will be opened later this month.
He said those in countries without passport centres can report to their respective embassies or consuls to get an emergency travel certificate to allow them return home.
https://nilepost.co.ug/2023/03/27/uganda-to-open-new-passport-centre-in-beijing-as-over-30000-remain-uncollected-in-kampala/