DCIC: Ugandans with Expired IDs Still Eligible for Passports

The Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control (DCIC) has announced that Ugandans with expired National Identity Cards (IDs) will still be eligible to obtain new passports.

This clarification comes amidst concerns from many individuals regarding the expiration of their National IDs,with a significant number expected to expire by the end of September.

Simon Peter Mundeyi, the Ministry of Internal Affairs Spokesperson, relayed that the National Identification Registration Authority (NIRA) confirmed that NINs do not expire. Therefore, individuals with expired National IDs can still apply for passports as long as they provide their NINs. He allayed the fears of individuals concerned about the implications of their expired National IDs.

However, DCIC warned that individuals who obtained National IDs fraudulently, without being Ugandan citizens by birth or naturalization, will be ineligible for passports, even if they possess valid NINs.

Furthermore, DCIC issued a warning to applicants who make errors in their online passport application forms, stating that no changes will be made to the indicated collection centers.

Mundeyi further noted instances where applicants apply for passports in one location but indicate a different collection center, leading to confusion.

He stressed the importance of accurately indicating the collection center corresponding to the applicant’s location to avoid complications during passport collection.

Mundeyi also urged individuals born in Uganda to non-Ugandan parents, such as Rwandans, to undergo the naturalization process to obtain Ugandan citizenship. Only individuals recognized as Banyarwanda in the constitution, who were present in Uganda at the time of border demarcation in February 1922, are eligible for citizenship.

This call serves as a reminder for non-Ugandan nationals born in Uganda to formalize their citizenship status to access passports and other citizenship-related privileges.