Addis Ababa, July 5, 2024 – Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) has announced significant reforms in the country’s immigration services, addressing long-standing public concerns over the passport issuance process.
The Premier revealed that the Immigration, Nationality and Vital Events Agency has significantly increased its online passport delivery capacity from 900 to 1700 per day.
In response to public complaints, the agency has printed over 1 million new passports, with 87% of them already distributed to applicants.
“All accumulated complaints have been fully resolved,” Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed emphasized.
The reforms have also led to the registration of 10,467 individuals living in Ethiopia illegally, according to the Prime Minister. Furthermore, the government has taken action against those using fake documents, issuing fines to over 18,000 individuals.
The government has delivered visa services to over 819,278 hosts, including e-visa facilities. To facilitate this process, the government has established visa services branches in 188 countries around the world.
Moreover, the Premier disclosed that some 4,276,474 individuals have been served by air and land access destinations.
A wide range of activities are currently underway to transform the sector with a view to deliver quality services, the Premier added.