IN NUMBERS

34,000

The number of e-passports issued since September last year, according to the Department of Immigration.

Since its roll out in September last year, the Department of Immigration has issued 34,000 e-passports to date. Last week, Ratu Drugucava Manoa Bosevakaturaga became the first Fijian to be locally registered for an e-passport on the immigration department’s new mobile system.

The mobile kit is part of Government’s digital transformation and is aimed at accommodating persons with disabilities.

Manoa’s mother, Salanieta Adilele, could not contain her joy when Immigration staff visited her son at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital to register his biometrics.

His e-passport will enable him to travel to New Zealand for further medical treatment.

She commended the Department of Immigration and Government for the assistance in finalising Manoa’s travel documents without the hassle of traveling to and from the city to do so.

“The department has saved us the extra cost of running around for my son’s passport. He is due for further medical treatment overseas and we have been trying our very best to finalise his travel arrangements, but today (Friday) we are very grateful to the immigration staff for coming to register our son in the hospital,” Ms Adilele said.

“This initiative has indeed saved us the time and energy of going down to the Immigration Office in the city. We thank the department for its indulgence over our situation.”

The Department of Immigration has three mobile epassport systems, one of which was launched in Australia last year to assist Fijians with their passport applications and the remaining two is with the department.