Minister for Immigration Viliame Naupoto has assured people that there is sufficient stock of passports available as the Ministry received a new batch of 45,000 blank passport books last Friday.
While responding to the President’s address in Parliament, Naupoto says this is the balance of the 100,000 books that were budgeted for in the 2024–2025 budget.
He says in this budget year another batch of 100,000 books has been budgeted for, and the contract for the production has been signed.
The Minister says our passport system is undergoing a major upgrade and this is the first upgrade since the acquisition of the passport system in 2019.
He adds that this upgrade, when completed, will significantly improve the quality and efficiency of passport service delivery to the public.
Insert: Naupoto on services, 11th Mar 26
The Minister also highlighted that they are decentralising immigration services where a new immigration office will be opened in Nakasi and this has been approved by the relevant authorities.
He adds that it will undergo an office fit-out, and they are awaiting new enrolment kits that are being transported by sea.
Naupoto says this new office will ease congestion in the Suva office and bring immigration services closer to the people.
He says they are also finalising the location of a new immigration office in Rakiraki town that will greatly improve access to communities in the Ra province, Tavua, Wainibuka and nearby rural areas.
The Minister revealed that they are targeting the end of May to complete all the upgrades to the passport system and open the two new offices in Nakasi and Rakiraki.
He also revealed that there are plans progressing to relocate the Savusavu and Lautoka offices, which aim to improve service delivery and provide a more professional, secure and accommodating workspace for staff and customers in the north.
The Minister also highlighted challenges with document fraud, which remains a serious and growing global threat.
He says fraudulent passports, visas and identity documents are increasingly becoming sophisticated and are often linked to transnational crime, human trafficking, people smuggling and other security risks.
Naupoto says the establishment of a document forensic laboratory in Nadi and in Suva is a big development in this very important area of immigration work.
He adds that they are working closely with the Australian Government as they strengthen Fiji's technical capacity to detect forged and altered travel documents quickly and accurately.
