Kathmandu, July 31: The Department of Passports (DoP) has begun operating in two shifts to cope with a sharp increase in passport applications, extending office hours from morning until night.
The extended schedule came into effect on Thursday after a surge in demand for electronic passports over the past week, particularly from applicants seeking documents for overseas employment, including South Korea’s Employment Permit System (EPS).
The department said it has deployed additional staff to speed up passport processing, biometric enrolment, and other related services.
Officials have also appealed to applicants to visit the office only on the date and time mentioned in their appointment slips to prevent overcrowding.
The latest rush comes just weeks after the government scrapped its contract with the previous passport supplier following controversy over the procurement process.
The government terminated the agreement with the French company IDEMIA after disputes over pricing and procurement procedures. It later decided to procure e passports from the German firm Mühlbauer ID Services GmbH, which had emerged as the lowest bidder in the tender process. The transition, along with growing demand from migrant workers and students, has kept pressure on passport services in recent weeks.
People’s News Monitoring Service
Login to add a comment