* Homeland Security Minister Ching’oma assures that the government is committed to ensuring that every Malawian can access a passport quickly and securely
* He personally printed his diplomatic passport and observed the progress under the new Madras security printing system, which replaced the former e-Tech System to improve efficiency, security and service delivery
By Duncan Mlanjira
Under the new Madras security printing system — to improve efficiency, security and passport service delivery — the Department of Immigration & Citizenship Services’ new passport issuance system is allowing express processing in one to two days and the ordinary passport in 10 days.
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This was attested to by Minister of Homeland Security, Ezekiel Peter Ching’oma yesterday when he visited in Lilongwe to assure Malawians of faster and more efficient passport printing services.
Malawi Government official Facebook page reports that Minister Ching’oma personally printed his diplomatic passport and observed the progress under the new Madras security printing system, which replaced the former e-Tech System.
Ching’oma is quoted as saying the government is committed to ensuring that every Malawian can access a passport quickly and securely.
“The reforms are designed to save taxpayers money and provide modern, secure passports that meet international standards,” he said. “Take note that the system can produce over 1,000 passports daily under full capacity.”
The government reports that new five-year contract with Madras Security Printers is valued at US$30 million, compared to the previous US$70 million (about MK121.4 billion) three-year deal — demonstrating cost efficiency and better resource management”.
“More than 400 passports have already been printed in Lilongwe under the new system, while over 1,000 documents have been produced nationwide since the resumption, a clear signal of significant improvements in service delivery,” reported Ching’oma.
Last month, the Minister issued a statement that processing and issuance of passports will be seamless following the successful migration from temporary solutions offered by e-Tech to the permanent one by Madras Security Printers.
He added that additional service centres have been introduced in Salima, Mzimba, Karonga, Kasungu and Chikwawa to ease congestion to original centres of Lilongwe, Blantyre, Mangochi and Mzuzu — and that the permanent system has introduced improved and secure features that will enable citizens travel with confidence — which include:
a) an e-passport with enhanced security features duly encoded chip in accordance with ICAO standards and specifications;
b) an online application to enable Malawians submit their applications;
c) online electronic (including mobile money transfers) and onsite payment systems;
d) designated passport data capturing and collection centres;
e) improved processing work flow: resducing redundancies for a more efficient process;
f) enhanced and confident security features for the passport booklets;
g) online appointment booking;
h) improved printing capacity with state-of-the-art passport printers;
I) instant passport inssuance;
j) MS notifications for application submission and passport being issued out and ready for collection.
In March 2024, the Immigration Department systems suffered acyber breach of the passport issuing system that resulted in service disruptions and the Government contracted e-Tech Systems in April 2024 to provide temporary solution — which faced numerous challenges including some passports failing to scan.
This resulted in citizens “being arrested in foreign land and tormented on allegations that they were traveling on fake or forged document; denied entry or delays at border crossing,” said the Minister in his statement last month.
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Ching’oma added that the government took several steps to resolve the challenges by signing a contract with Madras Security Printers to provide permanent solutions for “a more robust and trusted solution”.
The installations and upgrades of the new system aligns with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) global standards and integrates with all key stakeholders such as National Registration Bureau (NRB) and banks on payment module, user testing and piloting.
In pursuant to ICAO standards and security requirements, the Immigration Department dispatched a specimen of the new passport to every country and all Malawi’s foreign missions around the world “to ensure that Malawians travelling abroad with the new passport are given seamless immigration services at all points of entry,” said the Minister last month.
