ICS Working to Commence E-passport Vital to Curb Fake Documents, Enhance Efficiency

Ethiopia's Immigration and citizenship service (ICS) revealed consolidated efforts to commence E-passport service with a view to curb illegal activities and modernize the country's passport system.A new Ethiopian E-passport service is expected to offer enhanced security features and improved efficiency for ICS which has been grappling with a backlog of passport applications, it was indicated.In her media briefing today on the performance of her institution in the concluded fiscal year, Immigration and citizenship service Director General Selamawit Dawit said concerted efforts are being intensified to introduce E-passport.According to her, digital design has been finalized in an effort to implement this new passport service in the country.The purpose is to curb fake documents in addition to providing efficient services to customers, Selamwit noted.The commencement of E-passports in the country will also contribute to saving foreign currency expenses to print passports abroad, she added.The Direct or General also revealed that the residence permit identification card issued to foreign nationals and IDs to Ethiopian origins residing abroad will also be electronic supported.The Immigration and citizenship service has issued IDs to over 51, 000 members of the Ethiopian diaspora, of whom 65 percent arrived in the country as part of the invitation extended by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the Deputy Director General of ICS, Gosa Demise said for his part.During the year, ICS has also issued permanent and temporary resident permit IDs to over 34,000 foreign citizens. More than 18, 000 foreigners who were living in Ethiopia without legal documents have been deported with penalty.Source: Ethiopian News Agency