Foreign Affairs Ministry Cancels 701 Diplomatic and Service Passports
Passports invalidated after former officials failed to return them despite multiple public notices
- 701 Diplomatic and Service passports cancelled
- Affected individuals include former officials, judges, and diplomat
- Strict enforcement will see cancelled passports confiscated at entry and exit points
In a sweeping move to enforce travel document regulations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has invalidated 701 Diplomatic and Service passports across the country. This action is part of a broad recall of official passports that had not been returned despite multiple public notices.
A statement released on Tuesday revealed that 341 unreturned Diplomatic passports and 360 Service passports have been added to a stop-list, rendering them unusable for international travel.
The cancellations come after two prior announcements—on January 15 and March 10, 2025—calling on former government officials and other designated individuals to return their official travel documents.
Those affected include:
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Former Ministers and their spouses
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Former Members of Parliament
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Ex-Council of State members and their spouses
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Retired Judges from both the Superior and Lower Courts
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Past Regional Ministers, MMDCEs, and government board members
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Individuals tied to the National Cathedral Project
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Former non-career ambassadors and their families
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Religious and traditional leaders, business executives, and other ex-government personnel
The Ministry has emphasized that any use of these cancelled passports will result in confiscation at entry and exit points, with strict enforcement measures in place.
This initiative aligns with the enforcement of the Passports and Travel Certificates Act, 1967 (NLCD 155), particularly sections 6 and 7, which govern the distribution and proper use of official passports.
