Problems with issuing Congolese biometric passports continue to cause difficulties for many applicants. Deputy Josué Mufula tabled a written question in the National Assembly to raise this issue and request answers from the Deputy Prime Minister in charge of Foreign Affairs, Christophe Lutundula.
According to Mufula, this delay in issuing passports has serious consequences for the Congolese population. Sick patients lose their lives, students are blocked in their efforts to study abroad and many Congolese face many problems because of this delay.
Mufula stresses that this situation is contrary to the political will of the President of the Republic, Félix Tshisekedi, who had expressed his desire to make obtaining passports faster and less expensive.
If corrective action is not taken quickly, Mufula threatens to take binding parliamentary measures against the Deputy Prime Minister in charge of Foreign Affairs.
It should be noted that the new rate for biometric passports has been set at 99 USD and the maximum waiting times are 7 days for applicants in Kinshasa, 14 days for applicants in the provinces and 28 days for those residing in the stranger. However, in the field, these deadlines are not respected and additional fees, such as the “ANR form”, are required, which adds to the frustration of applicants.
The question of ancillary costs was also raised by MP Claudel Lubaya, who called on the government to remove the costs not provided for in the interministerial decree. However, these fees continue to be collected.
It is therefore imperative that measures be taken to remedy these problems in the issuance of Congolese biometric passports, and to guarantee shorter waiting times and more transparent fees for applicants. It’s time for the Congolese population to be able to obtain this essential travel document quickly and easily
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