The Ugandan government started issuing out International e-Passport to citizens in December 2018 and as a result stopped issuance of the traditional Machine-Readable Passports (MRPs). The MRP holds only traditional text information such as a photo and the ghost image. It does not have biometric features that can identify the passport with the genuine owner, which the e-passport has.
The government issued a notification of a 2-year transition period to phase out the traditional passports by 31st January 2021. However, due to the restrictions that came about by COVID-19 Pandemic, the deadline for phase of these could not be achieved without inconveniencing the public.
Thus the phase out period has been extended from 31st January 2021 to 4th April 2022. This implies that the Machine-Readable Passports will continue to be used as a valid travel document alongside the new International e-Passport until 4th April 2022. All citizens who have not yet changed to the new international e-Passport can make use of this window of opportunity to migrate to the new e-Passport to avoid any inconveniences related to the new deadline.
To apply, pay and schedule appointment, please log on to the e-Passport portal. You can as well read here to find the costs and how to apply for an ePassport in Uganda online.
What is in the international e-passport?
The e-passports provides a secure identification of the passport holder. It also limits chances of forgery of biometric information stored in the passport by fraudsters. Additionally, it enhances the privacy of the holder, limits the chance for identity theft and eases handling of entry and exit at border airports and points of entry.
With the e-passport personalized, citizens leaving or entering the country can freely do so without necessarily interacting with immigration officers using e-gates.
Read About: List of all countries that Ugandan Passport holders can visit
