30,000 new passport books arrive — Immigration says ‘no need to panic’

The Ministry of Immigration has moved to assure the public that there are enough passports for everyone, after 30,000 new passport books arrived at its Suva headquarters yesterday.

Permanent Secretary for Immigration Aliki Vuli Salusalu urged people not to rush the process.
“We want to tell the public that you don’t need to panic. You are all good and will be covered. We’ve got enough passports,” Mr Salusalu said.

Senior Immigration Officer Ravineshwaran Nair echoed the message: “There is no need to panic, do not rush, just follow the schedule.”

To meet demand and clear the backlog, the ministry has extended its operating hours.

• 8am–3pm: Appointments, emergencies, and elderly or disabled applicants
• 4pm–8pm: Walk-ins to reduce morning congestion
  Special lines are available for parents with children, and priority is given to those travelling from remote areas.

Since January, the ministry has received 11,000–12,000 passport applications — well within the capacity of the 30,000 new books. Another 35,000 passport books are expected to arrive in October.

All backlog applications should be cleared by September 15, with normal 15-day processing resuming from August 25. Passport collection runs from 9am to 6:30pm, Monday to Friday, based on published schedules.