Mbabane – The Ministry of Home Affairs has announced that passport issuance across the country will be limited until further notice following delays in the supply of passport materials.
In a press statement released on Friday, Principal Secretary N.R. Nxumalo said the disruption has been caused by “unprecedented delays in our supply chain,” affecting the Ministry’s ability to maintain normal passport production.
The Ministry has called on emaSwati to only submit applications if travel is urgent. “The public is advised to apply for passports only if there is a pressing and urgent need to travel,” the statement reads.
According to the Ministry, efforts to restock passport materials have been unsuccessful due to factors beyond its control. The situation has been worsened by instability in the Middle East, which has delayed deliveries from suppliers. After multiple postponements, the next shipment is now expected by the end of April.
During this period, only urgent applications will be processed, and services will be restricted to the Ministry’s headquarters at the Inter Ministerial Building along Mhlambanyatsi Road in Mbabane.
The Ministry also raised concern over a backlog of uncollected passports. “We note with concern that a large number of issued passports remain uncollected at the Ministry. We kindly urge applicants to collect their passports without delay,” the statement said.
Officials say measures are being taken to resolve the situation as quickly as possible, while apologising for the inconvenience caused to the public.
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