In line with the regulations of the International Civil Aviation Organisation, Namibia will now synchronise with modern society by introducing as of January 8th 2017 the age of electronic passports. The ministry of Home Affairs has approved and applauded the new development.
Security now and then has been compromised by fraudulent practices of unscrupulous individuals who take the risk of counterfeiting travelling credentials. The new ‘biometric passports’ have a special electronic chip that contains the biometric details of the passport holder, this feature enhances the authenticity of the passport and will certainly make travelling and immigration matters less rigorous.
The new passport booklet bears many insignia of national heritage; the coat of arms, the world famous sand dunes, the national flag, the national assembly building and the newly introduced Welwitschia mirabilis plant which has replaced the African map present on previous passports. The new system overtime will replace the older machine readable passports and will bear 16 additional pages making them more convenient for frequent travellers.
The identity of the passport manufacturer has been withheld, obviously for security reasons; nevertheless the Home Affairs ministry has assured the nation that the new passports are dependable, reliable and will cost the same amount as older passports (N$160) until further official notice.
