Home affairs increments infuriate public

WINDHOEK, 01 AUG – The fee increases of documents issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration have not been received well by members of the public.
Nampa on Wednesday visited the ministry’s headquarters in the capital to gauge public response regarding the increments, which are effective from 01 August this year.
The ministry announced the hikes, which include residence permits increasing from N$12 000 to N$18 000 and study permits increasing from N$1 400 to N$2 000, on Tuesday.
The prices of duplicate death and marriage certificates and identification documents, amongst others, have also increased.

A female client who preferred to remain anonymous for fear of implicating the company she works for, was not happy about the increase in re-entry visa fees.
She added that at the very least, the ministry was supposed to notify members of the public of the changes two months in advance.

“If I am a permanent resident here it means I am in the country legally, so why do I need to apply for a re-entry visa? Plus this price has increased from N$690 to N$800,” the upset client said.
A worried study permit applicant, who also requested anonymity, said her parents sent her enough money for the original study permit fee and her groceries, only to be caught by surprise at the cashier on Wednesday.

“Previously it was N$1 395 excluding the N$80 handling fee, but now it’s N$2 000 excluding the handling fee. One needs to be informed at least four months in advance to prepare mentally and financially,” she stated.
Patience Ngole from the Democratic Republic of the Congo informed Nampa he was applying for a travel document, only to be caught by surprise when he went to pay.

“I feel very sad because I only budgeted N$80, only to find out that prices have increased to N$300. I came from Greenwell Matongo which is far. But now I guess I have to go and seek help from friends to add onto this amount I have,” he said.
According to the ministry’s Director of Visas, Permits, Passports and Citizenship, Allison Hishekwa, the public was notified of the increases via the media last year.
Nampa observed during the visit that fee structure notices have been placed near both cashiers at the ministry’s headquarters.
NAMPA