Ugandans in Switzerland can now apply for and receive National IDs, register for NINs (including for children), and update their personal particulars—all without leaving the country.
From November 26 to 29, 2025, the Embassy of the Republic of Uganda to the Swiss Confederation and Permanent Mission to the UN in Geneva carried out a multi-sectoral Diaspora Engagement and Consular Service Delivery mission in the cities of Geneva and Zürich.
This marked one of the most comprehensive outreach efforts ever conducted for Ugandans in Switzerland, delivering practical solutions while reaffirming the Government’s recognition of the diaspora as a vital part of Uganda’s national fabric.
Over the four days, Ugandans of all ages—families, students, long-term residents, and new arrivals—converged at the Mission premises in Geneva and later at GZ Hirzenbach Community Centre in Zürich to access a one-stop centre offering National Identity services, immigration support, and land consultations.
Questions on citizenship, land matters, and travel documentation reflected the community’s wide-ranging needs.
Working closely with the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA), the National Citizenship and Immigration Control (NCIC) under the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development (MLHUD), the Mission delivered essential consular services directly to Ugandans in Switzerland—many for the very first time.
The initiative strengthened trust, visibility, and connection between the Government and the diaspora, making the Mission in Geneva a true hub for consular services.
Ambassador Marcel Tibaleka, Permanent Representative of Uganda to the UN in Geneva, noted:
“This outreach is particularly significant because it has marked the formal activation of a fully functional NIRA and Immigration workstation within the Mission in Geneva.”
He added that the activation of visa-issuing capability is “a defining moment,” enabling tourists, researchers, and travellers to obtain visas directly from the Mission—bringing unprecedented convenience to the Swiss community.
Both Geneva and Zürich recorded long queues of Ugandan applicants seeking new IDs, renewals, or replacements for lost cards. Parents brought children for NIN enrolment; others sought to resolve complex cases or follow up on pending applications.
NIRA not only delivered services but also trained Mission staff in biometric enrolment, troubleshooting, citizenship verification, and digital form submission—ensuring continuity of services beyond the technical team’s visit. By the end of the mission, the Embassy was fully equipped to independently continue offering NIRA services.
The Directorate of Immigration provided equally crucial support, sensitising the diaspora on passport application procedures, online payment platforms, dependant facilitation (including Dependant Passes and Certificates of Residence), and processes for acquiring citizenship through dual nationality or marriage.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Mrs. Dorcas Okalany, together with her team, held one-on-one consultations with diaspora members. Key topics included land ownership, title verification, investment opportunities, and understanding Uganda’s evolving land governance framework.
They demonstrated the Uganda National Land Information System (UgNLIS), which has digitised over 1.5 million titles and introduced remote access tools that allow diaspora members to verify land ownership globally.
Discussions also covered Uganda’s housing deficit, reforms in slum upgrading, the Housing and Real Estate Information System, and investment opportunities in real estate, agriculture, and commercial land projects.
The four-day mission culminated in a joyful Uganda at 63 Independence celebration in Zürich, bringing together the Ugandan diaspora in a display of unity and cultural pride.
Ambassador Tibaleka expressed deep gratitude, emphasising the diaspora’s important role in shaping Uganda’s development and reaffirming the Government’s commitment to bringing key services closer to Ugandans abroad.
As the Mission prepares to expand similar engagements in 2026, Ugandans in Switzerland can look forward to continuous access to essential services, deeper engagement, and growing opportunities to contribute to Uganda’s development from wherever they reside.