Passport Fee Return Demanded After Failure to Make Timely Deliveries

The Federal Ombudsman demanded the return of passport fee for everyone after failure of the Passport Offices to make timely deliveries. Responding to complaints about passport issuance delays, a team from the FO conducted visits to passport offices to assess the situation.

Officials expressed dissatisfaction with the Director General of Passports for the persistent delays despite citizens opting for urgent processing. Consequently, the FO mandated the return of urgent fees for passports to affected citizens in the federal capital. Additionally, the Interior Secretary was tasked with assessing the situation and implementing necessary measures to clear the backlog for prompt passport issuance.

The inspection team was informed by the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports administration that a shortage of lamination paper was the primary cause of the delays. They assured the team that the backlog would be addressed promptly upon receiving the necessary lamination paper. The Federal Ombudsman’s team directed the administration to ensure the timely procurement of lamination paper in the future to prevent a recurrence of such delays.

During their visit, the team engaged with passport applicants who expressed frustration over the prolonged wait for passport issuance. Some applicants revealed that their visas had expired during the months-long wait for their passports.

Read more: Fee Structure for e-Passport Application.

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