Dominica govt speeds up process of issuing e-passports, to set up overseas offices for Diaspora

Dominican government has made some amendments to its Immigration Department, situated in Roseau, with the motive to speed up the process of Electronic Passports.

Prime Minister Dr Roosevelt Skerrit.

Roseau: Dominican government has made some amendments to its Immigration Department, situated in Roseau, with the motive to speed up the process of Electronic Passports.

As per the new changes made, the immigration staff will now be operating on a shift system from 8 am to 4 pm and from 4 pm to 12 am. Moreover, the transition course has also been changed from 2 years to 6-months, following which the timeline for updating all electronic passports has been made prior to August 31, 2022. Previously the Dominican government set up the timeline to July 30, 2023.

Government officials highlighted that this shift system will assist the island in making sure that the process to turn the passports into electronic ones is not delayed. To achieve the target, the Dominican government also hired more staff members. These new chip-enabled e-passports are being designed by the Canadian Bank Note Company.

Meanwhile, Rayburn Blackmoore, the Minister for National Security of the Commonwealth of Dominica, quoted that permanent offices will be established in New York, United Arab Emirates, and London so that people living in other countries (Diaspora) can also apply to get their e-passport facility. He also noted that for the whole process, the Commissioner of Police and the Head of Immigration are the two significant keys.

The Minister highlighted, “These permanent sites do not hold the responsibility to issue passports to people, but instead the information will be promptly sent to the centralized Immigration Department in Roseau, Dominica, from where all of the passports will be issued to the people”.

Minister Blackmoore further that these new electronic passports will be secured enough to use while asking the citizens to remain calm and assured every one of them will be getting their passports between the time frame set up by the Dominican government.