The Ministry of Home Security has today announced that the government plans to open additional passport issuance centers across the country to ease travel for citizens who currently endure long journeys to obtain passports. The minister, Ezekiel Ching’oma, disclosed the development after he witnessed instant processing and printing of passport in Lilongwe.
Barely few days after the ministry made a commitment to introduce instant passport processing service, whereby applicants would have their passports printed within few hours after submitting an application, the service has rolled out, signifying commitment to a revolutionized passport issuance service in Malawi.
Following a prolonged period of compromised services in the Immigration and Citizenship Services department, the government has partnered with an Indian firm, Madras Security Printers, to deliver a faster passport service. According to Ching’oma, the fast-track option will deliver passports in one to two days, while the standard processing time is expected to take up to ten days.
The minister noted that the new passport printing facility will cost about $30 million over five years, a significant reduction from the previous system, which cost roughly $70 million over three years.
Officials also highlighted that the current passports incorporate modern security features and are printed to current standards.
On the matter of applicants who had already registered and requested passports, the minister stated that discussions with the printing partner have focused on accelerating production, and within a matter of weeks, all pending applications will be processed and printed.
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship services has also initiated transparency strategy whereby it is publishing on its official social media and website page, names of applicants whose passports have been printed out, thereby eliminating incidents of corruption that was endemic among staff members at the department.
