Stefanus Nashama
The Minister of Home Affairs, Immigration Safety, and Security, Dr Albert Kawana, has revealed that the Ministry has issued and processed 42,890 passports of all categories and 23,970 visas in 2023.
Kawana said these figures were recorded between April and November this year, and he was speaking at the last official address of the ministry’s staff members this week in Windhoek.
According to Kawana, out of the total number, 41,991 were ordinary passports, 215 diplomatic passports, 452 official passports, 226 refugee passports, and 6 travel documents, bringing the total to 42,890 passports issued.
He attributed this achievement to the online passport application service launched by the Ministry in March this year.
Simultaneously, the minister revealed that the ministry had processed 5,530 online applications and 16,440 manual applications for work visas, reflecting a total of 21,970 work visa applications processed between April and November this year.
In addition, a total of 1,775 holiday visas were issued during the same period, making the number of visa applications stand at 23,745.
Kawana broke down the successes, achievements, and challenges the ministry faced this year, including the successful introduction, establishment, and implementation of new programs, the launch of a 24-hour border service system, the online application of passports and visas, and the use of Identity Documents (ID) as travel documents.
He also mentioned the recruitment of new staff members and the construction of new police stations across the country, among other accomplishments.
The minister stressed the importance of road safety, stating that law enforcement would be vigilant at roadblocks across the country.
He urged people to prioritize safety, obey traffic rules, and contribute to maintaining law and order.
Kawana also advised travellers with minor children to ensure they have the original birth certificates of their children and consent letters from the other parent if the child or children are accompanied by one parent.
He further appealed to travellers to carry some form of identification, such as an ID, passport, or birth certificate, to avoid inconveniences at roadblocks and assist in combating illegal immigration in the country.
