The Minister for National Security and Legal Affairs, Rayburn Blackmoore, has announced that 61,344 epassports have been printed and issued till date. He stated that the number of epassports was printed between July 2021 and mid-January 2023. He also added that an average of 5,000 epassport booklets is printed per month to meet the needs of thousands of Dominicans around the world.
While appreciating the efforts of the immigration department under the current DLP leadership, Blackmoore said printing of the epassports is currently ongoing under three production shifts. Contracted out to the Canadian Bank Note Company Limited, the new epassport is designed to incorporate security and aesthetic features that reflect the natural legacies of Dominica. It also comes with a microchip that contains the biometric identity of the holder.
The minister for national security and legal affairs also stated that as from January 31, the epassport will be required to exit Dominica to other countries. He noted that any Dominican citizen may return to the Island without a passport or with an expired passport, but no one will be allowed to leave the country to other countries with a valid epassport.
We are actually having what we call a grace period up to the 31st of this month, January. It means to say therefore that as from the 31st of this month, you will not be allowed to leave Dominica with the old passport (the machine-readable passport). If you are coming to your country with a passport that has expired you can enter, but you will not be allowed to leave the country with the old passport. You are obligated therefore to apply for a new passport.
Hon. Rayburn Blackmoore, Minister for National Security and Legal Affairs
New applicants are to pay EC$150 if they are above the age of 16 to obtain the new epassport, and minors under the age of 16 are required to pay EC$75. Meanwhile, applicants must submit two passport photos, a birth certificate, marriage certificate, certificate of naturalization, and a copy of the current or expired passport to be able to have the new epassport processed and printed for them.
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