Ministry Of Internal Affairs Stuck With Over 50,000 Unclaimed Passports

The Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control of the Ministry of Internal Affairs has revealed that over 50,000 passports remain unclaimed, inundating the department's storage capacity. 

This overflow has prompted the government to contemplate the destruction of these unclaimed documents.

Speaking at the weekly security briefing at Police headquarters in Naguru, Immigration Spokesperson Simon Mundeyi expressed deep concern over the escalating number of uncollected passports.

He emphasized the strain on resources and urged passport applicants to promptly follow up on their applications, encouraging them to visit the department or inquire via phone if they had not received notification messages. 

Mundeyi said that there is a possibility that some applicants may not have received SMS notifications regarding the readiness of their passports.

This concern coincides with the Ministry's plans to establish additional regional branches, aiming to streamline the application process for upcountry applicants and alleviate congestion in Kampala.

On the other hand Mundeyi clarified that applicants with expired or soon-to-expire National Identity Cards need not worry, as the National Identification Number (NIN) remains valid for passport applications, underscoring the importance of timely renewal and adherence to documentation protocols.

With an average production rate of 1,000 to 2,000 passports daily, the department struggles to keep pace with demand, exacerbating the backlog of unclaimed passports.