Complete biometric data by Oct 18 – Foreign ministry to pre-April 1 passport applicants

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has announced the deadline for passport applicants who submitted applications before April 1, 2024.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, September 18, 2024, the ministry directed all such applicants to visit their designated Passport Application Centres (PACs) to complete their biometric data capture by Friday, 18 October 2024.

The Ministry stressed that applications pending biometric capture after the deadline will be deemed invalid.

This directive is part of an effort to streamline passport processing and ensure that applicants who paid for services prior to the recent fee revision comply with the updated requirements.

"Passport applications submitted under the previous fees of GHS100 and GHS150 will be invalid after this deadline," the statement indicated.

The Ministry referenced the Fees and Charges (Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations, 2023 (L.I 2481), which came into effect on April 1, 2024, leading to an upward revision in passport fees.

The statement emphasized the urgency of completing the biometric process to avoid delays or the invalidation of applications.

“Applicants are advised to act swiftly to avoid their applications being invalidated,” the Ministry added.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged all affected applicants to promptly comply with the directive to prevent their applications from being rejected and ensure smooth processing.