Passport distribution may halt for few days

Kathmandu / March 13: The Department of Passports (DoP) has said that passport services may face temporary disruptions as the government prepares to introduce a new passport issuance system in partnership with a new supplier.

Two German companies, Veridos GmbH and Muehlbauer ID Service GmbH, have won the passport bid last June and are expected to provide fresh batches of passports within a few weeks.

In a public notice, the department said the new system is currently being prepared, including the necessary arrangements for passport booklets and related infrastructure.

The transition from the existing system to the new one is expected to take place within the next one to two months, said the department.

Since 2010, the France-based IDEMIA Identity and Security SAS, formerly known as Oberthur Technologies, has been providing machine-readable and biometric passports. The one-and-a-half-decade-long partnership with the French company ended after two German companies bagged the new deal last year.

Tirtha Raj Aryal, Director General at the Department of Passports, said that they still have a stock of four lakh passports, which will meet the requirements for some months, but passport distribution will halt during the transition period, so they have urged the needy to acquire the passports if the validity of the passport is expiring.

Any passport with less than six months remaining to expire must be renewed. But a passport valid for over six months can be replaced with a new one once passport distribution eases, he said.

“We are transitioning from one system to another. It is natural to have short-term disruption during transition,” said Aryal, adding the disruption might happen after two months when there is a switch from one system to another.

“During the transition time, passport distribution will be slowed or stopped for some days, but not more than one week.” Aryal said they have requested the needy one to secure a passport that is expiring in less than six months.

Since German technology is going to replace the French system, it will take some time for data migration, the installation of the personalisation centres in all 77 district administration offices, other subordinate offices, and Nepali embassies abroad.

By the end of this month, the DoP plans to conclude testing of the new German technologies. Upon completion of testing, the German firms will begin installing the personalisation centres, updating the service, and launching passport distribution.

The DoP has said that during the transition period, passport services provided by District Administration Offices and Nepali missions abroad may remain suspended for up to three days. Likewise, services at the Department of Passports in Tripureshwor could be halted for about a week. Several Nepali Embassies have also issued statements urging service seekers to secure passports if needed.

The department also clarified that after the new system comes into operation, it may take one to three months for full stabilisation. The passport distribution process might take longer during the period.

Officials have urged citizens who may require passports within the next six months to apply in advance through the existing system at District Administration Offices, Nepali diplomatic missions abroad, or the Department of Passports.

People who may need a passport within the next six months (until the end of September) are requested to apply early under the current system through all 77 district administration offices, Nepali embassies abroad, and the DoP.