The Ministry of interior has reasserted its call for all foreign nationals in the South Sudan, to acquire official documents that indicate they are legally in the country.

The order says, foreign nationals who don’t have documents risk being deported to their home countries or being charged and possibly jailed.

“We are not saying that we don’t want foreigners, but the foreigners we want must be legal people in the country, if you have your documents, no problem,” the Director of Immigration, Major Gen Augustino Maduot told Eye Radio.

“It is our responsibility to encourage investors to come to the country; it is our responsibility to welcome any workers required by institution to close the gap. But this should be done in legal way,” said Mr. Maduot.

Major General Parek also said that legal documentation is in the interest of national security.

“There’re runaways who come here for crimes, and they do not have any identity.

“Somebody can go and commit some crime and they don’t have identity. How do we know?

“And we also need to protect our own people, our own national security and even foreigners themselves because some people commit crimes against the foreigners.”

Maduot hopes that foreign nationals working or residing in South Sudan will acquire the legal documents to avoid being deported.

All foreign nationals working in the country are required to possess a visa, work or resident permits.