PASSPORT issuance remains limited a month later, as supply chain challenges affecting the production of travel documents persist.
The Ministry of Home Affairs Communications Officer Mlandvo Dlamini said the situation had not changed since the initial announcement in March, with the ministry still continuing to process only urgent applications.
Under the current arrangement, only applicants with immediate travel needs were being assisted and services were centralised at the ministry’s headquarters in Mbabane.
This has resulted in reduced daily processing capacity, with many prospective travellers forced to postpone plans or seek alternative arrangements.
Despite the ongoing limitations, the ministry has raised concerns on the backlog of uncollected passports.
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He also revealed that a significant number of completed documents remain at collection points, urging applicants to retrieve them promptly to ease congestion and improve administrative efficiency.
“The public is encouraged to collect their passports as soon as possible,” Dlamini said, noting that clearing the backlog could help streamline operations during this constrained period.
He noted that the ministry had previously indicated that new passport stock was expected by the end of April following delays from international suppliers.
However, no official confirmation has yet been given on whether the shipment has arrived or when normal services would resume.
He assured the public that efforts were ongoing to resolve the issue and restore full passport services.
In the meantime, citizens are urged to remain patient and comply with the temporary measures in place.
