The Department of Immigration receives close to 4000 to 6000 passport applications per month.
Speaking in Parliament, the Minister for Home Affairs and Immigration Pio Tikoduadua said the Department is responding to this demand despite the challenges that they are facing with the printing systems, computer networks, and other exceptional circumstances in the face of the increased demand.
Tikoduadua said Fiji has faced an unprecedented movement of its people to jobs abroad, some of it permanent migration and some of it for temporary work.
He said they have had to open offices at 6 am after passport applicants were queuing up for services as early as 4 am daily.
“It is important to note, that despite the difficulties we face, we are delivering passports to most applicants within five to seven working days. Urgent passport applications are processed within two to three working days.”
“By any standard around the world, this is quick processing. We have had the support of both the Ministry of Finance, which has given us more money for staff, and overseas donors who are helping us more money for staff and overseas donors who are helping us with process improvements,” he said.
