Government Suspends Passport Replacement Services At Ugandan Embassies Abroad

The Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control (DCIC) has tightened passport replacement rules for Ugandans living abroad. From now on, those who lose their passports must return to Uganda to get a replacement instead of applying at embassies as was previously allowed.

The new rule aimed at curbing passport fraud and sales to criminals, could impose a significant financial burden on Ugandans in the diaspora requiring them to travel home to replace their lost passports.

Clarity on Replacement of LOST passports by Ugandans in the Diaspora

”On May 6th, 2024, at the Joint Ministry of Internal Affairs press conference at the Police Headquarters, the spokesperson made an announcement regarding the replacement of lost passports by Ugandans living abroad. It was communicated that the replacement of lost passports can only be done in Uganda, and not in the host countries where the loss occurred.

This decision was made to protect the integrity of Ugandan passports, which had previously been tarnished due to a racket involving both Ugandans and non- Ugandans. These people were found to be selling Ugandan passports to fraudsters for use in criminal activities. As a result, there was a risk of Ugandan passports being blacklisted by some countries.

Criminals were taking advantage of the fact that in some countries, it is not easy to differentiate between Africans, even when there are glaring passport alterations. They were using genuine passports bought off Ugandans to commit crimes, which led to blame being placed on Ugandans even when they were not involved. Unfortunately, some Ugandans were also found to be involved in this racket.

To protect the integrity of Ugandan passports and ensure that Ugandan passport holders can travel confidently all over the world, a mechanism was put in place. Working with our partners and other countries where this is a common issue, it was agreed that anyone who has lost their passport must come back to Uganda to replace it. This will ensure a thorough joint investigation and serve as an inconvenience to those who have made it a habit to sell these passports, thinking they can easily replace them at the embassy.”