All passport applicants are strongly advised to refrain from engaging with agents or brokers for assistance in obtaining passports and other documents.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs has made it clear that they do not collaborate with such intermediaries, emphasizing that individuals claiming to be agents are simply fraudsters aiming to exploit unsuspecting Ugandans in need of fast passport services.
This warning comes in light of a recent incident in which a senior city lawyer from a prominent law firm lost 1,000,000 shillings to unidentified individuals while attempting to secure expedited passport services.
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, an ordinary passport goes shs250, 000 and those who need express passports pay an additional shs150,000 paid differently in a bank making the total of shs400,000 for express passports.
The ministry’s spokesperson, Simon Peter Mundeyi, noted that these ongoing scams specifically target individuals who are in a hurry to obtain passports.
He remarked on the irony that even educated professionals, such as lawyers and government officials, can fall victim to these scams, despite being aware of the proper procedures for obtaining passport services.
Mundeyi was addressing the media at the police headquarters in Naguru, Nakawa Division, Kampala, on November 18, 2024.
He emphasized the critical need for public vigilance and awareness to combat such fraudulent activities.
“Of course he came complaining to me, but as usual with good PR, I was saying sorry sir but at the back of mind I was saying look at this fool…… because a lawyer to have been conned of in the name of being assited of getting a passport, it does not carry a lot of sense at all,” he said.
Mundeyi cautioned passport applicants to be vigilant against individuals masquerading as agents and brokers with the ministry.
He emphasized that these individuals often appear well-dressed and can be quite convincing, urging the public to remain alert and avoid falling victim to their schemes.
Mundeyi said under the new passport application system, applicants are not required to provide an external photograph, as the ministry is equipped with advanced technology at the passport center to capture the necessary images.
He emphasized that the ministry operates independently and does not partner with any agency to facilitate this process.
He explained that unlike in the past years, passport applications are now processed much more swiftly, allowing individuals to secure appointments on the same day as their application.
He encouraged the public to consistently seek assistance from uniformed officers stationed at various counters within the ministry.
