PRESS RELEASE
The Ministry of the Interior through the Office of the Minister informs the
general public it has decided to partially lift the temporarary ban on the issuance
of Machine-readable passports with effect from Monday April 3, 2017.
The objective of the partial lifting of the ban is to allow Gambians who intend to
travel to Saudi Arabia to perform their religious injunction as regards the Umrah
and those travelling on medical grounds to have the required national
identification document.
Meanwhile, the following conditions must be met for an intending pilgrim to be
issued a passport;
1.The intending pilgrim must personally appear before a panel for interview
2.The intending pilgrim must bring along authentic proof of Gambian
nationality
3.The intending pilgrim must submit airline reservation indicating date of
departure/return
4.The intending pilgrim must pay the prescribed fee
Following the satisfaction of the above conditions and clearance by the
immigration department, passport will be issued within two working days.
It is the information of the general public that this temporary suspension is
consistent with the need for the government to restore integrity and eliminate
fraud in the issuance and acquisition of vital national documents.
The Ministry has, in fact, started a review of the process of issuance of passports
and national identity cards so as to ensure the sanitization of the serious defects
involved in the acquisition of these vital national documents.
The Office of the Minister solicits the cooperation of the general public as it
works toward ensuring Gambian passports and other vital national identification
documents are respected around the world.
Signed
Ministry of the Interior
CC:Director General, Gambia Immigration Department
Inspector General of Police
Deputy Permanent Secretary
