By Prince Mupiri
WINDHOEK, March 16 — Namibia’s Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety, and Security has launched an online platform for passport and employment permit applications. The initiative comes after years of poor service delivery and a lack of trust in the ministry among the public. The ministry has recently introduced several measures to improve its services, including the launch of e-passports, visa-on-arrival, a state-of-the-art headquarters, and a national migration policy.
The new online platform allows citizens to apply for passports and employment permits from the comfort of their homes using their computers or mobile devices. The process is designed to be more efficient, with online forms and required documents available for upload at the click of a button. The system integration also allows for the automatic importing of essential documents like IDs and birth certificates.
The platform offers various features, including the ability to track progress and receive SMS alerts. Payments can be made using electronic funds transfer (EFT) or cash, but EFT is the recommended mode of payment to avoid handling cash.
The introduction of the online platform is a significant milestone for Namibia, particularly as it navigates the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4th IR). The government hopes that the use of technology will allow for improved service delivery and attaining global best practices. The platform will not only improve the efficiency of work permit and passport applications but will also provide a foundation for offering other services online in the future.
The ministry’s initiative comes at a time when many African countries are seeking to leverage technology to provide better services to their citizens. The online platform for passport and employment permit applications is a significant step towards achieving this goal. – Namibia Daily News
