The Immigration Department of Fiji has announced extended hours for passport offices until 8 PM in an effort to address the current backlog of passport applications. Immigration Minister Viliame Naupoto stated that this decision is in part due to the anticipated arrival of 35,000 new passport books later this month, with a broader order of 100,000 passports intended to alleviate the ongoing shortages.
During a recent session in Parliament, Naupoto confirmed that the first shipment from this larger order has already been received. The Ministry aims to process all outstanding passport applications by the end of next month. Naupoto expressed his apologies to Fijians affected by the delays and assured the public that efforts are being made to enhance processing times.
The Minister also mentioned specific goals for processing turnaround: reducing the standard processing time for regular applications from 15 to 10 working days, and for urgent applications from 3 to 2 working days. A budget allocation of $5 million has been made for the purchase of an additional 200,000 blank passport books, demonstrating a strong commitment to improving passport services.
In addition to passports, Naupoto highlighted that the Ministry is also working on resolving visa and permit backlogs, with 6,831 of the total 31,144 applications already cleared. The aim is to finish processing the remaining applications promptly.
This optimistic outlook is reinforced by previous commitments made by the Fijian government to enhance immigration services and streamline processes. The recent improvements signal a proactive approach to not only meet rising global travel demands but also to restore confidence among citizens in the immigration system.
As these changes take effect, there is hope that Fijians will soon experience a more efficient and responsive passport application process amid escalating travel needs.
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