70 percent yet to renew passports

Dar es Salaam. Nearly 700,000 out of 950,000 Tanzanians holding passports of all categories have yet to renew their travel documents, just three weeks before the deadline.

However, those holding old passports can no longer use them to travel outside the country because a travel document needs to be at least six months before its expiry.

This means that only one out every 235 Tanzanians have obtained the new electronic passports.

Immigration spokesman Juma Mtanda said yesterday that out of the new 237,946 passports, 237,813 were of the ordinary category.

The new East African electronic passport was introduced in January, 2018 and Tanzanians were given two years for those holding old passports to renew them.

Mr Mtanda said there has been an increase of people seeking electronic passports, as many new applications stream in.

“Until now 237,946 have already collected their electronic passports since we started issuing the new passports on January 31, 2018 of which 459 were issued to senior government leaders and 1,672 diplomats,” he said.

Mr Mtanda said during the ten years before the issuance of electronic passports, only 950,00 were holding the travel document.

“Earlier we were facing long queues at our immigration offices but we have fast-tracked the process and those who meet requirements can obtain their passport within five to ten days. This is for those who are based in Dar es Salaam and two weeks for those living in upcountry,” he said.

He said, the department also issues temporary passports that serve the purpose in visits tonearby countries. There are between 200 and 500 applications every day.