Technical problems on new passport system will be solved gradually: Foreign Ministry

Kathmandu / July 24: The Foreign Ministry has said the problems surfaced in course of introduction to the new passport system would be solved gradually. After solving the problems, passport service would be run smoothly as in the past.

Joint secretary and spokesperson at the Foreign Ministry, Lok Bahadur Paudel Chhetri, informed that the Ministry and Passport Department were committed to providing passports to the Nepali citizens in a convenient and effective manner. Paudel shared it during a regular news conference organized at the Ministry today.

Receiving live passport applications began with the enforcement of new system since July 13, he said, adding that total 8,260 copies of passports had been printed so far under the new system. The applications for passport are received from the Department of Passport, 77 District Administration Offices, six Area Administration Offices and 31 diplomatic missions. Eight diplomatic missions abroad can receive applications online at any time.

Spokesperson Paudel further informed that the new system was currently at a stage of stabilization, so technical hitches were not unexpected. A technical team is involved in fixing the problems, Paudel added.

According to him, even an agreement was made with the Department of Postal Service to deliver the printed passports to the concerned administration offices in districts and area. The government has also launched a process to enforce the system which facilitates citizens to apply for the passport from any district. RSS