Ugandans living abroad will now have to return home to replace lost passports, according to the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control (DCIC). This decision comes after reports of some Ugandans selling their passports to strangers for $5000, leading to concerns about criminal activities.
Simon Peter Mundeyi, spokesperson for the Ministry of Internal Affairs, stated that some individuals were exploiting Uganda’s passport system to engage in illegal activities, prompting foreign countries to raise complaints.
Mundeyi emphasized that the ease of obtaining Ugandan passports was exploited by individuals involved in criminal activities, particularly in Europe and Asia, where distinguishing Africans became challenging. As a result, anyone claiming a lost passport must now return to Uganda for thorough investigation before a replacement is issued.
“Ugandans losing passports must return,” emphasized Mundeyi. “The passports were being sold to fraudsters and used in crime. In some countries, distinguishing Africans would be difficult. They were selling for USD5000, making it easy for them to acquire. We’ve worked with foreign governments to resolve that anyone claiming a lost passport must return home for thorough investigations.”
Furthermore, DCIC clarified that Ugandans abroad cannot obtain new passports or replacements from embassies; instead, embassies are only authorized to facilitate the collection of passports processed in Uganda. However, those seeking passport renewals can utilize embassy services by presenting their expired documents.
DCIC also announced the completion of plans to replace immigration officers stationed at various embassies. Additionally, the agency warned foreigners about fraudulent individuals posing as immigration officers, particularly around specific locations in the city, targeting unsuspecting victims.
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