In an effort to tighten control over official passports, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has cancelled 701 Diplomatic and Service passports. The move forms part of a nationwide recall of official travel documents.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday (May 6, 2025,) the affected passports include 341 unreturned Diplomatic passports and 360 Service passports, which have now been placed on a stop-list and are no longer valid for international travel.
The cancellation follows earlier public announcements on January 15 and March 10, 2025, instructing former officials and other categories of individuals to return their official passports. The affected individuals include:
- Former Ministers and their spouses
- Former Members of Parliament
- Former Council of State members and spouses
- Retired Justices of the Superior and Lower Courts
- Former Regional Ministers, MMDCEs, and board members
- Officials of the National Cathedral Project
- Former non-career ambassadors and their dependents
Religious and traditional leaders, businesspersons and entrepreneurs, and former government functionaries not currently in service.
The ministry stressed that all affected passports were to be confiscated if found in use, warning of strict enforcement at points of entry and exit.
This measure is aimed at ensuring compliance with the Passports and Travel Certificates Act, 1967 (NLCD 155), particularly sections 6 and 7, which regulate the issuance and use of official passports.
