Lt. Gen. Atem Marol Biar, Director-General of the Department of Nationality, Passports, and Immigration. (Photo: Michael Daniel).

The Department of Nationality, Passports, and Immigration has extended the lifespan of passports from five to ten years.

Lieutenant General Atem Marol Biar, the department’s director says the decision aims to reduce the printing and refurbishment costs.

“We gave directives to extend the validity period of the passport from five years to ten years, and I have already directed the ICT department to make amendments to the printing system,” he said.

General Marol stated that the increment is being done according to the new financial act 2022/2023.

According to him, the department of Information Communication Technology is modifying the printing system to enforce the changes.

“When the modification is completed I will inform the authorities to give us a blessing in the beginning.”

The directive comes two months after the directorate increased the fees for the travel document including birth certificates and nationality Identity Cards.

In September, the civil registry department increased to 66,380 pounds from the 4,500 fees for the regular passport for adults, and half the price for children.

While the diplomatic passports and special passports which used to be for free are now issued at 132,750 South Sudanese pounds.

It also imposed a 3,319-pound fee on the national identity card, while doubling the cost of reclaiming a lost nationality certificate.