Passports services in S Korea garner ‘widespread support’
THE government’s decision to commence regular passport services to Cambodians residing and working in South Korea, from January 10 onwards, has received widespread support, according to the Kingdom’s embassy in Seoul.
Cambodian ambassador Chring Botum Rangsay said on January 9 that in the past, those living and working in Korea needed to return home to get new passports or extend their validity, which consumed both time and money.
“Prime Minister Hun Manet’s announcement in early September last year was welcomed enthusiastically, and the embassy has received many enquiries about when the service would begin. Now, it is officially launched. In the past, people had to spend a lot of money and time on travel, food, accommodation and lost valuable working time,” she said.
According to Botum Rangsay, all relevant ministries – Interior; Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation; Labour and Vocational Training – have worked hard over the past three months. With the support of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the process is now complete.
“On January 4, an interior ministry’s working group arrived in Seoul to prepare passport services for our citizens here. They have been very busy setting up the required systems,” she added.
Thai Vimean, a Cambodian working in the South Korean resort island of Jeju, was pleased that passport services are now available there. He noted that in the past, he and many of his fellow workers has often discussed the difficulties of travelling to renew passports.
“The provision of this service in Korea is really helpful for us, as it reduces our costs and saves us time,” he said.
Ken Sophornrithy, president of the Association of Cambodian Recruitment Agencies (ACRA), said the government’s decision is to bring services closer to the people reflected its concern for the well-being of Cambodians living abroad.
“We knew that our people needed to spend a lot every time they returned to Cambodia to obtain a new passport. The provision of passport services in South Korea alleviates their hardships,” he added.
According to the embassy announcement, passport services can be accessed at the embassy in Seoul from Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays and special occasions) from 9am to 12 noon, and from 2pm to 5pm.
Citizens over the age of 15 must have their original passport. If it is missing or damaged, a certificate from the embassy is required. To obtain the certificate, the applicant must have a report from the Korean police or authorities and attach a copy of their passport, Cambodian national identity card or birth certificate, as well as a valid
Korean residence card.
If the residence card is lost or invalid, a separate certificate from the embassy is required, which necessitates the provision of a letter from the Korean village-commune authorities, their school or employer.
For infants or children under the age of 15, the same documents are required, along with written permission from the person’s parents or guardians, as well as a birth certificate.
The fee for a passport for people from the age of 6 is $118, and the passport will be valid for 10 years.
For children aged 5 and younger, the fee is $98, with five-year validity.
The price includes the cost of photographs, as well as express delivery from Cambodia to Korea.
Processing will take from four to five weeks.
The provision of this service in Korea is really helpful for us, as it both reduces our costs and saves us time