Kathmandu, Aug 10: The government has registered a bill at the Federal Parliament Secretariat to amend the Passport Act, 2019, introducing new provisions including the cancellation of passports.
The bill, registered by Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal with the aim of updating the Passport Act to meet present needs, proposes amendments to 16 sections of the existing law.
Under the proposed changes, a passport obtained by submitting false information, or one cancelled on the basis of a court order or other grounds, may be cancelled. The bill also revises the procedure for notifying Interpol about cancelled passports.
Previously, authorities were required to notify concerned agencies in Nepal, foreign diplomatic missions based in Nepal and the Interpol office in Nepal about a cancelled passport. Under the proposed amendment, the Department of Passports would notify Interpol if the original copy of the cancelled passport is not available with the department.
“The Department shall provide information about the cancelled passport to Interpol if the original copy of the passport cancelled under Subsection 1 is not available,” the proposed amendment to Section 15 states.
The bill also proposes to make it easier for certain children born abroad to obtain Nepali passports through Nepali diplomatic missions.
Children born abroad to a Nepali mother and a foreign father would be eligible for a five year passport if the mother declares that the father’s country does not issue a passport to the child. The diplomatic mission could use the registration number issued after temporarily registering the birth in place of a minor’s identity card or national identity card.
Similarly, children born abroad to a Nepali mother who declares that the father is unknown would also be eligible for a passport.
A child born abroad to a Nepali father and a foreign mother could also receive a five year passport upon declaring that the child has not applied for citizenship in the country of birth.
The amendment bill introduces provisions for temporary passports with a validity of two years. A temporary passport could be issued to a minor who has turned 16 while abroad upon application by a parent or guardian. Passports issued through another person when an applicant is unable to appear in person would also be valid for only two years.
Nepalis stranded abroad could also be issued temporary passports under the proposed law.
The bill further allows applicants who leave the country without collecting their passport to receive it from a Nepali diplomatic mission in the country where they are staying. Likewise, a person who applies at a diplomatic mission but returns to Nepal before collecting the passport could receive it from the Department of Passports.
Another proposed change would allow the government to authorise private sector entities or other institutions to collect passport applications and biometric information from Nepali citizens abroad.
New Rules on Diplomatic Passport Use
The bill also proposes new rules on the personal use of diplomatic passports. People returning from official visits would be allowed to use diplomatic passports for personal travel for up to 30 days beyond their official itinerary.
Employees retired from or removed from diplomatic service could use their diplomatic passports for personal purposes for up to 90 days. Employees posted at diplomatic missions could also use them for personal travel for up to 90 days after leaving their mission, provided they have not yet returned to Nepal.
The proposed bill also states that people who have acquired foreign citizenship or applied for refugee status would not be eligible for a Nepali passport. However, authorities could issue them a travel permit where necessary.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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